Over-the-Counter Drugs are any medicine that you can purchase without a prescription. It’s important to note that some over the counter medicines are now kept behind the pharmacy counter. You have to ask for them and sign for them, but those also qualify as “over-the-counter.”

There have been a number of drugs in recent years that changed slightly so that they could be sold without a prescription. Federal regulations have also changed, making some drugs available OTC that were only available by prescription until recently. That’s a big bonus in some cases. You’ll find that a particular medicine your doctor always prescribed for some ailment is now on the pharmacy counter. There’s no need to spend the money for a doctor’s visit or to request a prescription.

On another note, talk to your doctor about any over-the-counter medications you are taking. If your health insurance plan doesn’t include drug coverage or if your co-payment or deductible is expensive, ask your doctor if there are over-the-counter alternatives to prescription medications. You may find that these alternatives are just as effective at a fraction of the cost of the prescription medications.