Yes, pharmacists play a vital role in over-the-counter drugs by helping customers choose safe medications, checking for drug interactions, and providing proper usage guidance. According to the FDA, pharmacists play a vital role in controlling the number of medications being dispensed as OTC drugs and can counsel and advise consumers regarding OTC medications.
Over-the-counter medicines are sold directly to consumers without a prescription, and the U.S. consumer healthcare market reached more than $43 billion in OTC sales in 2023. With millions of people using these medicines daily, pharmacists serve as the safety experts who help prevent problems before they happen.
How Pharmacists Help You Choose Safe OTC Medications
They Check What You’re Already Taking
When you ask a pharmacist about an over-the-counter medicine, they don’t just hand you what you want. They ask important questions first. Pharmacists are trained to identify potential interactions between OTC drugs and any prescription medications you’re taking. This means they look at all your medicines to make sure nothing will cause problems.
Think of it like mixing ingredients in cooking. Some things go well together, but others can make you sick. Pharmacists know which medicines shouldn’t be mixed.
They Make Sure the Medicine Fits Your Health Needs
Not every medicine works for every person. Pharmacists consider your medical history, current health conditions, and allergies to provide personalized recommendations. They look at your whole health picture, not just your symptoms.
For example, if you have high blood pressure, some cold medicines might make it worse. The FDA warns that decongestants in cold medications can actually raise blood pressure in people with hypertension. A pharmacist will know this and suggest a safer option.
They Give You the Right Amount and Instructions
Pharmacists can advise you on the correct dosage and usage instructions for OTC drugs. Getting the dose wrong can be dangerous. Too little won’t help, and too much can hurt you.
They also tell you:
- How often to take it
- When to take it (with food or not)
- How long to use it
- What to do if it doesn’t work
What Training Do Pharmacists Have for OTC Medications?
Special Education and Certification
The American Pharmacists Association developed a certificate training program entitled OTC Advisor: Advancing Patient Self-Care, designed to educate pharmacists about the safe and effective use of nonprescription medications. This special training helps pharmacists give better advice.
Pharmacists don’t just learn about prescription drugs in school. They study:
- How OTC medicines work
- What can go wrong when you mix them
- Which ones are safe for different people
- How to spot problems
Ongoing Learning Requirements
Licensed pharmacists must complete continuing education courses that include topics like drug interactions, patient counseling, and other matters that contribute to professional practice. According to New York State pharmacy regulations, pharmacists must complete formal continuing education at a rate of one and one-quarter hours per month. This means they keep learning new things about medicines throughout their careers.
They attend classes and training sessions to stay up-to-date on:
- New OTC medicines
- Safety warnings
- Better ways to help customers
- Changes in health rules
The Questions Pharmacists Ask and Why
Finding Out About Your Symptoms
Pharmacists use effective questioning skills, beginning with broad, open-ended questions to gain as much information as possible. They don’t just ask “What hurts?” They want to know:
- When did it start?
- How bad is it?
- Have you tried anything else?
- Do you have other health problems?
The SCHOLAR-MAC Method
A helpful method called SCHOLAR-MAC assists pharmacists in assessing patients: Symptoms, Characteristics of symptoms, History, Onset, Location, Aggravating factors, Remitting factors, Medications, Allergies, and Conditions. This helps them get all the information they need to help you safely.
This might seem like a lot of questions, but each one helps them understand your situation better. The more they know, the better they can help you.
How Pharmacists Spot Drug Interactions
Reading Between the Lines
Different OTC drugs may contain the same active ingredient. Pharmacists pay attention to the active ingredients used in products to avoid taking too much of a particular ingredient. Many medicines have the same stuff in them, just with different names.
For example, you might take a pain reliever and a cold medicine that both have the same pain-fighting ingredient. Without knowing it, you could take too much and get sick.
Checking Your Prescription List
Pharmacists have access to patients’ prescription profiles to identify therapeutic duplications and potential drug-drug interactions. They can see what prescription medicines you take and check if OTC medicines will cause problems.
This is like having a safety net. Even if you forget to mention a medicine you take, they can often see it in their system and warn you about problems.
Special Groups That Need Extra Care
Older Adults Need More Help
Adults aged 65 years and older consume 33% of all OTC medicines sold in the U.S. and are at increased risk for serious drug-related problems. According to University of Wisconsin research, older adults account for 61.5% of adverse drug event-associated emergency department visits. Older people often take many medicines, which makes interactions more likely.
Age alters the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of certain drugs, which increases susceptibility to therapeutic effects and adverse effects. This means medicines work differently in older bodies.
Children Need Special Attention
Only 21% of consumers were aware that a child’s weight is the most accurate guide for determining the correct dose, and only 30% of parents were able to correctly determine and measure the weight-based dose for their child. Many parents don’t know how to give kids the right amount of medicine.
Pharmacists help by:
- Figuring out the right dose based on weight
- Showing parents how to measure medicine correctly
- Explaining when to call a doctor instead
Pregnant and Nursing Women
The Drug Facts label on most OTC products directs pregnant and breastfeeding women to ‘ask a health professional before use.’ Pharmacists know which medicines are safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Many medicines can pass to babies through the womb or breast milk. Pharmacists help expecting and new moms choose safe options.
The Impact of Pharmacist Counseling
Real Results From Real Studies
In a study where pharmacy students interacted with 745 patients, following consultation, 42.6% of patients changed their intended purchase, 8% made no purchase, 4.3% were referred to a physician, and 7.1% avoided a potential adverse effect.
This shows that when pharmacists give advice, it really helps people stay safe. Nearly half of the people changed what they were going to buy based on the pharmacist’s advice.
Customer Satisfaction
Data revealed that 95% of patients had pharmacist counseling and 93.9% were willing to pay for pharmacist self-care services on proper OTC usage. People value pharmacist advice so much that they’re willing to pay extra for it.
More than half of patients (51%) said they would be willing to pay $1 or more for an OTC consultation in the future, and 28% would pay $5 or more.
What You Should Do When Buying OTC Medicine
Ask Questions – Don’t Be Shy
Pharmacists can provide patients with the necessary information to make proper selections when choosing OTC products and can encourage them to thoroughly read labels and always ask questions if they are uncertain.
Don’t worry about asking too many questions. Pharmacists want to help you, and no question is too small. It’s better to ask and be safe than to guess and be sorry.
Read Labels Carefully
Using only the Drug Facts label, a consumer should be able to decide if the product is right for them, follow usage directions and understand any warnings. The label has important information about:
- What the medicine treats
- How much to take
- When not to use it
- What to watch out for
Keep Track of What You Take
Make a list of all your medicines – both prescription and over-the-counter. This helps pharmacists give you better advice. Include:
- Medicine names
- How much you take
- When you take them
- Why you take them
How Crystal Lake Pharmacy Helps You
At Crystal Lake Pharmacy, we understand that choosing the right over-the-counter medicine can be confusing. Our team is trained to help you make safe choices that work for your specific needs.
We offer:
- Medication therapy management to keep track of all your medicines
- Personal consultations about OTC options
- Custom compounding when regular medicines don’t work for you
- Easy prescription transfers so we can see your full medicine list
Our pharmacists take time to understand your health needs and help you find solutions that work safely with your other medicines.
The Future of OTC Pharmacy Services
More Medicines Moving to OTC
An Rx-to-OTC switch refers to an approved prescription drug that eventually receives FDA approval to be marketed as nonprescription. The FDA is modernizing this process to make more safe and effective medicines available without a prescription, which means pharmacists will play an even bigger role in helping people use them safely.
Better Training and Technology
More than half (58.1%) of pharmacists reported that they very often field questions from patients specifically related to OTC products, and 94.7% said they have an active role in counseling patients about OTC medications.
With this much involvement, pharmacists are getting better training and tools to help customers. New computer systems help them spot problems faster and give better advice.
Common OTC Medicine Categories Pharmacists Help With
Pain Relief and Fever Reducers
When asked which products pharmacists counseled patients on most frequently, 98.8% answered cough and cold products, followed closely by analgesics/anti-inflammatory drugs (93.4%).
These are some of the most common medicines people buy, but they can cause problems if not used right. Pharmacists help you choose between different types and make sure you don’t take too much.
Stomach and Digestive Medicines
Gastrointestinal agents/antacids (76.6%) and vitamins/nutritional supplements (75.8%) are among the products pharmacists commonly counsel patients on.
Stomach problems are common, but the wrong medicine can make them worse. Pharmacists know which ones work best for different types of stomach issues.
Cough and Cold Medicines
Cold medicines are tricky because many contain multiple ingredients. Pharmacists commonly counseled patients on anti-infectives/antifungal agents (50.0%), dermatologic medications (42.2%), and first aid products (45.9%).
A pharmacist can help you pick one that treats your specific symptoms without unnecessary ingredients.
Final Thoughts
Pharmacists are your partners in staying healthy and safe when using over-the-counter medicines. They have special training, ongoing education, and tools to help you make smart choices about your health.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions when you’re buying OTC medicine. Your pharmacist wants to help you get better safely. They can spot problems you might miss and suggest better options for your specific situation.
Remember, just because you can buy a medicine without a prescription doesn’t mean it’s always safe for you. Your pharmacist is there to help you use these medicines wisely.
Ready to get personalized advice about your over-the-counter medicine needs? Visit Crystal Lake Pharmacy or call us to speak with one of our knowledgeable pharmacists. We’re here to help you stay healthy and safe.
Ready to experience the difference that personalized pharmaceutical care can make? Contact Crystal Lake Pharmacy today to learn more about our comprehensive services and how we can help you achieve your health goals.