Pharmacists Share Their Top Over The Counter Picks
The New York State Attorney General’s announcement in early February of fake herbal supplements on the shelves at four national retailers has rocked the confidence of just about everyone who visits a pharmacy. Walmart, Target, GNC and Walgreens have been ordered to pull the offending products, some of which included powdered houseplant, and worse—powdered wheat in supplements that claim to be wheat- and gluten-free.
Amidst the frenzy, and practically to the day, the American Pharmacists Association released its annual “Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey.” The survey lists the products that are most often recommended drugs by pharmacists. It also shows that 79% of the time, patients purchase the OTC (over-the-counter) products their pharmacists recommend, and the average patient-pharmacist-consult lasts about four minutes.
And now, 40 of the pharmacists’ top OTC picks…the ones that Baby Boomers and Seniors are most likely to care about:
- Fish oil supplement: Nature’s Bounty
- Garlic supplement: Nature’s Bounty
- Flaxseed oil supplement: Nature Made
- Therapeutic skin care: Eucerin
- Moisturizing cream: Eucerin
- Topical antibiotic ointment: Neosporin
- Nail antifungal treatment: Fungi-Nail
- General foot care product: Dr. Scholl’s
- Episodic heartburn treatment: Zantac
- Frequent heartburn treatment: Prilosec
- Laxatives-Fiber: Metamucil
- Laxatives-Non-fiber: MiraLax
- Anti-gas product: Gas-X
- Stool softener: Colace
- Anti-diarrheal product: Imodium A-D
- Hemorrhoidal treatment: Preparation H
- Upset stomach and nausea treatment: Emetrol
- Motion sickness remedy: Dramamine Less Drowsy (meclizine)
- Home cholesterol test: CholesTrak
- Diabetes management monitor: OneTouch
- Home blood pressure monitor: Omron
- Incontinence product: Depends
- Urinary tract infection test: AZO Test Strips
- Adult multivitamin: Centrum
- Calcium supplement: Citracal
- Probiotic dietary supplement: Culturelle
- Diet aid: Slim-Fast
- Artificial tears: Systane
- Artificial saliva: Biotene Oral Balance
- Ocular nutritional supplement: Ocuvite
- Tooth whitening system: Rembrandt Deeply White 2-Hour Whitening Kit
- Cold sore treatment: Abreva
- Diabetic foot cream: Eucerin
- Aspirin for cardio protection: Bayer
- Sleep aid: Unisom SleepGels (diphenhydramine)
- Lip balm: Carmex
- Osteoarthritis pain-Oral: Aleve
- Osteoarthritis pain-Topical: Icy Hot
- Thermal and pain care patch: Salonpas Pain Relief Patch
- Bone and joint strengthener: Osteo Bi-Flex
SOURCES:
Pharmacist.com
NY Times
CNN
