Over-the-counter drug
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescription. In many countries, OTC drugs are selected by a regulatory agency to ensure that they contain ingredients that are safe and effective when used without a physician's care. OTC drugs are usually regulated according to their active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) rather than final products. By regulating APIs instead of specific drug formulations, governments allow manufacturers the freedom to formulate ingredients, or combinations of ingredients, into proprietary mixtures.
See also
- Child-resistant packaging
- Drug interactions
- Generally recognized as safe and effective
- Generic drug
- Inverse benefit law
- Medical prescription
- Over-the-counter counseling
- Pharmacy
- Ranitidine impurities
- Regulation of therapeutic goods
