White Paper on the Benefits of OTCs
Americans rely on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for the treatment and prevention of many commonly occurring conditions including musculoskeletal pain, headaches, the common cold, allergies, heartburn, dermatitis, obesity, tobacco smoking dependence, and dental caries. This report examines the role of OTC medicines in the U.S. health care system as reflected through professional treatment guidelines, medication use data, as well as clinical and consumer research.This report emphasizes the convenience value offered by OTC medicines, a key benefit of these medications that is seldom addressed in the literature.