Over-The-Counter Drug

SAN DIEGO — Over-the-counter pain relievers improved concussion symptoms and time to recovery, with earlier use providing the greatest benefit, according to a speaker.

In the wake of the FDA approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill, two experts argued that the time has come to make another prevention medication available without a prescription.

A 2011 FDA mandate, which limited acetaminophen dosage to 325 mg/tablet in prescription acetaminophen and opioid products, correlated with a decrease in yearly hospitalizations and cases of acute liver failure related to toxicity.

Up to 8 months before diagnosis, women with ovarian cancer purchased more over-the-counter pain and indigestion medications vs. women without ovarian cancer, according to findings of an observational case-control study.

The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging revealed that 70% of people aged 50 years or older experience joint pain to some extent. Among them, two-thirds said they use over-the-counter therapies to manage the pain.

The FDA in August issued a final rule to establish a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids, which will enable consumers with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment to purchase hearing aids directly from stores or online retailers.

Among older adults taking at least two prescription medications, just one in four had a comprehensive mediation review with their pharmacist, according to findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan.

The FDA has sent a warning letter to Greenbrier International, Inc., doing business as Dollar Tree, for receiving over-the-counter drugs made by foreign manufacturers that were found to have serious violations of federal law.