OTC Guide: 27 Years Strong

Since 1997, Pharmacy Times has been calculating pharmacists’ OTC recommendations and publishing an annual survey.

BillionPhotos.com - stock.adobe.com

The purpose of our survey is to collect current data on the OTC brands pharmacists recommend most frequently and to ascertain the number of recommendations pharmacists make each month as they work with patients and counsel them on health conditions.

In their daily practice, pharmacists across the country make more than 140 million recommendations to patients every month. As the most accessible, and among the most trusted, health care providers, pharmacists play a key role in their patients’ health and wellness through counseling and product recommendations. Pharmacists are truly a constant source of health care information for the public.

The Pharmacy Times OTC survey has grown each year since its launch in 1997 when 85 therapeutic categories were included. This year, we surveyed 15 distinct health sections and covered 149 therapeutic categories. As the OTC market has grown, Pharmacy Times has responded by adding new health sections and new OTC products to the survey. As new therapeutic categories develop and the OTC market continues to evolve, Pharmacy Times will expand its survey.

In addition to the valuable charts that summarize the OTC products most often recommended by pharmacists in 15 distinct health areas, this edition of the OTC Guide includes a number of articles related to the use and management of OTC products. This issue provides articles that focus on the latest information on cough and cold treatments, topical solutions, and oral care.

Our OTC Guide features an easy-to-use format that provides pharmacists with OTC product information at their fingertips. The color-coded guide is organized for easy access to the multitude of OTC brands that pharmacists recommend each day. The Table of Contents can be found on page 2, each health section is highlighted, and in-depth product charts are found throughout the guide.

These OTC product recommendations are also housed at Pharmacy Times https://www.pharmacytimes.com/otcguide, where the information is searchable by both category and product name. Designed for use by pharmacists, this site helps users navigate the latest products.