Over-The-Counter Medication: A Trending Practice, Its Benefits and Risks Involved

What Do You Mean By Over-The-Counter(OTC) Medication/Medicine?

According to the FDA, OTC medicines are ones that  are accessible without any prescription. A market survey shows that over 50% on Indian population uses OTC medicine. They are safe to use and effective if one follows the direction given on the label or as directed by their physician. Over-the-counter medication is a way of self-medication. In recent times, self-medication has become popular worldwide.  Over-the-counter medications help people treat mild conditions at home without wasting time and money.

However, healthcare providers recommend not self-treating any severe illness at home using OTC medications. The most common ailments these medicines treat are common cold, pain, heartburn, and allergies. Here in this article, we will see the benefits and risks of OTC medication.

Types of Over-The-Counter Medicines

People practise various methods to avail of counter medicines. Here are some ways:

1. Ask for a Pharmacist’s Advice

For minor health complaints, people often seek guidance from a registered pharmacist. Pharmacists are trained healthcare professionals who can recommend suitable OTC options for issues such as skin irritation, mild pain, or digestive problems.

2. Pharmacy Medicines

There are some medicines that people buy without consulting the pharmacist, such as medicine for diarrhoea, cold or cough syrup, and paracetamol.

3. Medicine Available at Supermarkets

Some medications like pain relief gels and sprays, ayurvedic medicines and medicinal juices, antacids, and multivitamins are available at supermarkets.

What are the Benefits of OTC Medication?

The benefits of OTC medicines include easy and quick access to medication. OTC medicines are available at any pharmacy .

1. Medicines Are Easily Accessible

OTC medications can be purchased without visiting a doctor, making healthcare more accessible—especially in remote or underserved regions. People often keep basic medicines at home in first aid kits, ensuring they are prepared for minor health issues. In emergencies or while travelling, OTC access can prevent delays in care.

2. Save Money

OTC medicines reduce unnecessary doctor visits, lowering healthcare expenditure.
In many developing regions, 65–85% of people rely on OTC and self-medication for minor illnesses. By managing minor conditions early, OTC use can prevent productivity loss from missed work due to mild ailments. OTC treats minor ailments like colds, coughs, headaches or fevers. As a result, it prevents absenteeism from work, saving wage cuts.

3. Saves Time

OTC medication reduces the time required to treat some deadly infectious and parasitic diseases where access to healthcare services is poor. Whether a developed nation or a developing nation, people are forced to travel a long distance to seek advice for managing their chronic health conditions.

If over-the-counter drugs were unavailable, the frequency of visits to the doctor for minor ailments would likely rise. OTC medications eliminate the need for many physician visits, including some that clinicians consider unnecessary. Thus OTC medications save time.

Risks of OTC medicines

OTC medicine has its benefits and considerable risks:

• Patient safety in OTC medication is critical. OTC medicines can interfere with other drugs making them less effective or may cause adverse reactions. 
• OTC medicine can interact with foods and drinks, leading to health issues like increased nausea, heartburn, and headaches.
• For example, avoiding some over-the-counter pain medicines is better if you have ailments related to stomach, kidney, liver or heart problems.
• Certain medications can cause allergic reactions in some patients.
• There are a lot of medicines that you should avoid taking while you’re pregnant. If you are pregnant, you must discuss plans to take any medication with your healthcare professional.
• When administering medication to children, take extra precautions. Always check that you are giving an appropriate dose to your child. If you are administering liquid medicine to your child, you should not use a spoon intended for food preparation in the kitchen. Instead, you should make use of a measuring spoon that is labelled with teaspoons.

Conclusion

The widespread use of over-the-counter medications reflects a global trend towards self-managed healthcare. Individuals use OTC drugs because:

• They are familiar with managing certain conditions.
• Their symptoms are mild and non-threatening.
• OTC drugs save time and money by avoiding unnecessary clinic visits.

However, OTC use should be done responsibly, with awareness of its risks, especially in the context of drug interactions, special populations (like children and pregnant women), and underlying health issues.

If you’re unsure whether an OTC medicine is suitable for your condition, consult a pharmacist or healthcare provider before using it.Instead of waiting in a queue at a pharmacy counter to get medicines, you can now purchase the medication from our online pharmacy Truemeds app and website. You can also buy generic or branded medicine at discounted prices (save up to 72% on total purchase) and get it free delivered to your doorstep across India.

Disclaimer: This content, including advice and medications, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more details.

References

• Wani, G., & Faizullabhoy, M. (2025). Over the Counter (OTC) drugs Market – by drug category, by formulation type, by distribution channel – Global Forecast 2025 – 2034. In Global Market Insights Inc. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/over-the-counter-otc-drugs-market
• Alharthi, M. S., Almalki, H., Alsubaie, F., Alotaibe, F., Abuasiah, A., Basha, F., Aldurdunji, M. M., & Alorfi, N. M. (2024). Knowledge and attitudes toward over-the-counter medications among pharmacy students: insights from a cross-sectional study in Taif University, Saudi Arabia. Frontiers in Medicine, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1435707
• Sánchez-Sánchez, E., Fernández-Cerezo, F. L., Díaz-Jimenez, J., Rosety-Rodriguez, M., Díaz, A. J., Ordonez, F. J., Rosety, M. Á., & Rosety, I. (2021). Consumption of Over-the-Counter Drugs: Prevalence and Type of drugs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11), 5530. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115530