OVER THE COUNTER COLD MEDICINE
If a bad winter cold has you scouring the pharmacy for relief in the form of over the counter drugs, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the dizzying array of medications. Is it price that drives your purchase or do you opt for the big name brands?
“I buy the store brands because it is cheaper,” says Helena, a health consumer. “They’re just as good as the national brands and they are cheaper!” says Donna, a regular consumer of over the counter drugs.
According to pharmacist and editor-in-chief of Pharmacy Times, Fred Eckel, in most cases the appropriate active ingredient or active ingredient combination is available in a store brand version, which will treat your symptoms as effectively as the advertised brand, but also provide significant savings.
“All are controlled by the Food and Drug Administration so you’re going to get a quality product if you buy a store brand,” says pharmacist Fred Eckel.
We purchased the following over the counter drugs- Mylanta, Flintstones Children’s Vitamins, Sudafed and Tylenol. Our total was $50.86. We then purchased store brands – it cost us $30.66. But, whether you choose a nationally advertised brand or a store brand, due to the variety of symptoms you may experience, it’s especially important to treat the right symptoms.
If you have a runny nose and sore throat, medications that include an ingredient to control coughs should be avoided. You should choose medications that treat only the symptoms you have so that you’re not taking medications you don’t need.
“Ask your pharmacist what is the right product to use for the symptoms,” says Eckel.
There are major active ingredient categories related to cold symptom relief. Nasal decongestants help to clear nasal passages and make breathing easier. Cough suppressants help to control a persistent cough and expectorants will make coughs more productive. Then there are combination medicines for a cold with a range of symptoms.
The bottom line, if you take the time to read the drug facts labeling, and do a compare and contrast you can find relief at a cheaper price.
“You will find in almost every case that active ingredients are identical and you can be comfortable purchasing the store brand,” says Eckel.
According to Eckel, besides price, the main difference between store brand OTCs and advertised brands are the inactive ingredients. The color or shape of one over the counter tablet may be a bit different from the next, just as the flavoring agents may also be different.