Over-the-counter
(OTC) drugs
are medicines that may be sold directly to a consumer without a prescription
from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may be
sold only to consumers possessing a valid prescription. In many countries, OTC
drugs are selected by a regulatory agency to ensure that they are ingredients
that are safe and effective when used without a physician's care. OTC drugs are
usually regulated by active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), not final
products. By regulating APIs instead of specific drug formulations, governments
allow manufacturers freedom to formulate ingredients, or combinations of
ingredients, into proprietary mixtures.
The
term over-the-counter
may be somewhat counter-intuitive, since, in many countries, these drugs are
often located on the shelves of stores like any other packaged product. In
contrast, prescription drugs are almost always passed over a counter from the
pharmacist to the customer. Some drugs may be legally classified as
over-the-counter (i.e., no prescription is required), but may only be dispensed
by a pharmacy employee after an assessment of the patient's needs and/or the
provision of patient education. In many countries, a number of OTC drugs are
available in establishments without a pharmacy, such as general stores,
supermarkets, gas stations, etc. Regulations detailing the establishments where
drugs may be sold, who is authorized to dispense them, and whether a
prescription is required vary considerably from country to country.
Market Definition
The
OTC pharmaceuticals market consists of the retail sale of traditional
medicines, cough and cold preparations (tablets, mixtures, lozenges, topical
remedies, inhalers), vitamins and minerals (multi-vitamins, single minerals,
single vitamins, tonics, cod liver oil), indigestion preparations (tablets,
powders, mixtures), analgesics (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirinand other
analgesics), and medicated skin products (anti-bacteria's, acne treatments,
anti-fungal, disinfectants and other), topical OTC medicines (anesthetic
products, anti-itch products, antibiotic creams/gels), plasters & bandages
(adhesive bandages/plasters, first aid tape, gauze pads/rolled gauze, liquid
bandages and other tape or bandage), first aid kits and other (anti-smoking
aids, rectal medications, eye/ear drops, sleeping aids, and motion sickness).
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