Definition: OTC, an acronym for "over the counter," is the type of medication you can purchase at your local pharmacy without a doctor's prescription.
According to the FDA, OTC medications tend to have more benefits than risks, a low risk for drug abuse, and are easy to select and use without the help of a healthcare professional. The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) is the area of the FDA that analyzes OTC drugs to be sure that they will do more good than harm. The CDER also makes sure that OTC drug labels contain the information you need so you can take them safely.
Examples:
Aspirin and Motrin are examples of common pain medications available OTC.
