A Comprehensive Review of Over-the-Counter Medication Practices and Associated Public Health Risks
Abstract
The way healthcare is provided has changed with time. It is now based more on patients taking charge of their own health. One important part of this is people using over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to treat their own illnesses. OTC medications are considered safe and effective when used correctly. However, their global regulation is divided into many different parts, which makes it difficult to monitor APIs in different places and situations. The lack of consistent oversight can lead to different people using it in different ways, which can be dangerous to public health if it's not managed properly. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the global OTC landscape. It looks at how self-medication practices can change based on different things, like digital and physiological factors that lead to self-diagnosis. It also suggests a plan that brings together different sectors to deal with potential public health risks while also letting patients be involved in healthcare decisions.
Keywords:
Self-medication, Over-the-Counter (OTC) drugs, Pharmaceutical regulation, Global health surveillance, Self-careDOI
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Copyright (c) 2026 Manish Kumar, Aditya Narayan Barman, Nazim Hussain, Ahiya Noor, Angshuman Sonowal, Dubom Tayeng, Md Safiqul Islam Sk (Author)
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