WASHINGTON, DC – Every week, approximately 275 million Americans visit pharmacies to benefit from the advice of their local medication experts, and to find fast relief for minor health concerns. When it comes to treating summer ailments, consumers are looking for the brands and products that pharmacists recommend most. As Americans take to the great outdoors this year, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) shares results from its Annual Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey, highlighting the most recommended treatments for sunburns, insect bites and poison ivy and oak.

“Pharmacists are an integral part of the health care team and, with 94 percent of Americans living within just five miles of a pharmacy, they are easily accessible to consumers nationwide,” said American Pharmacists Association CEO and pharmacist, Thomas E. Menighan. “As summer activities begin, we encourage outdoor enthusiasts and families to visit their local pharmacist to discuss and find the right prevention strategies and treatment options as common ailments arise.”

The survey was completed by more than 1,000 practicing community pharmacists, and each recipient was asked to write in approximately how many times per week they had recommended each over-the-counter (OTC) product. A series of 89 product categories were divided into three groups of questions, each of which was sent to one-third of participants. Full results of the survey can be found at http://pharmacist.com/otc-supplement.

Among treatments for common summer ailments, the top five product recommendations per product category are as follows:

Top 5 Sunburn Treatments

While it’s always best to protect your skin from the sun using proper sunscreen application, in the case of treating minor burns and sunburns, pharmacists most recommend the following products:

1. Solarcaine (31 percent)
2. Dermoplast (24 percent)
3. A+D Original Ointment (15 percent)
4. Bactine (8 percent)
5. Lanacane (5 percent)

Top 5 Insect Bite or Sting Remedies – Lotions and Creams

Similar to protecting your skin from the sun, prevention should be the first line of defense against insect bites and stings this summer. However, if the summer’s pests leave consumers itching for relief, the survey revealed that pharmacists recommend the following products:

1. Cortizone-10 (26 percent)
2. Benadryl Itch Stopping Cream (20 percent)
3. After Bite (14 percent)
4. Caladryl (13 percent)
5. Cortaid (11 percent)

Top 5 Poison Ivy or Oak Remedies

If summer activities involve a trek into the woods, summer camp, or a family outing to areas where poison ivy or poison oak are hiding among the landscape, the survey also unveiled that pharmacists recommend the following products to help stop the scratching:

1. Cortizone-10 (32 percent)
2. Benadryl Cream/Spray (14 percent)
3. Caladryl (11 percent)
4. Zanfel (11 percent)
5. Aveeno (9 percent)

With more than 300,000 OTC drug products on the market, in more than 80 therapeutic classes, it is critical that patients consult their pharmacist to maximize the benefits from medications and minimize the potential for harmful drug interaction and/or side effects. APhA encourages patients to discuss the symptoms they are trying to treat, and the duration of those symptoms, with their pharmacist. Additionally, patients should remember that most OTC medications are for temporary relief of minor symptoms. Contact your pharmacist or health care provider if your condition persists or gets worse.

While supplements can be an important part of consumer wellness, they are not required to obtain FDA approval and are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any disease. Only an FDA-approved prescription or OTC product can legitimately make such claims. For more information, go to FDA.gov Tips for Dietary Supplement Users and  What are over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and how are they approved?

**Being a #1 recommended product in the Pharmacy Today OTC Product Survey does not indicate Pharmacy Today or APhA endorsement of any product or service.