This week, most of you should be receiving the February issue of Pharmacy Today in your mailboxes. Included in this issue is Today’s annual Over-the-Counter Product Survey. This important survey helps tally the OTC product recommendations you most often offer consumers and your patients.

Self-care and the use of OTC products are an area where pharmacists can make a major positive impact. By sharing our unique OTC expertise, pharmacists can reach those who often self-diagnose and need our help with selecting the safest and most effective products. As more OTC products offer “multisymptom relief,” it is especially important for us to make sure patients avoid using two products that contain the same active ingredients.

Here are a few of the most recommended products in their categories based on the 2015 survey results:

• Adult headache products: Tylenol
• Adult antihistamines: Zyrtec
• Thermal and pain care patches: Salonpas Pain Relief Patch
• Adult cold—Liquid products: Mucinex Cold, Flu & Sore Throat
• Pediatric decongestants: Children’s Sudafed Nasal Decongestant Liquid
• Adult multivitamins: Centrum
• Infant formulas: Enfamil
• Home cholesterol tests: CholesTrak

To review the complete survey results, visit pharmacytoday.org.

For more information about OTC products, you can check out APhA’s hot-off-the-press new edition of the Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs: An Interactive Approach to Self-Care. It contains a wealth of information about nonprescription drug pharmacotherapy, nutritional supplements, medical foods, nondrug and preventive measures, and complementary therapies.