Prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs, for most of us ordinary people, usually may not pay much attention to the difference between the two, but Dr. Ding Xiang still want to help people figure them out and raise awareness of drug safety. What are over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs? Drugs that can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription are over-the-counter drugs, which have been used and observed for a long time and have proven to be effective with few side effects, and are mainly used for mild and clearly diagnosed diseases such as cold, cough and constipation. Prescription drugs are drugs that can only be purchased and used with a doctor’s prescription, such as drugs for chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, cerebral infarction, etc.). Simply put, people are not allowed to buy them from pharmacies on their own, but must see a doctor and buy them only with a prescription issued by the doctor after diagnosing the disease. How to distinguish OTC drugs from prescription drugs? The full name of OTC drugs is over the counter, which translates to drugs that can be purchased over the counter. All OTC drugs have the OTC logo on the top right corner of the box. The OTC can be divided into Class A OTC and Class B OTC. Class A OTC drugs have a red OTC label and Class B OTC drugs have a green OTC label. The difference in color also tells us that green is safer than red, such as Class B OTC drugs multivitamin tablets, which can be bought not only in hospital pharmacies, social pharmacies, but also in supermarkets and department stores. Prescription drugs are not OTC labeled. Another point to emphasize, no OTC label does not necessarily mean that it is a prescription drug, because health products also do not have OTC label, health products have its own logo and approval number. Health care products have their own logo and approval number. The health care product logo is a special sky blue logo and the approval number is “Food and Health”. What do we need to pay attention to when buying and taking over-the-counter drugs? Have a proper awareness of drug purchase: OTC drugs have benefits but also risks, because all drugs can have positive effects and also have unwanted pharmacological effects such as adverse drug reactions. Accurate judgment of self-conditions: OTC drugs are generally limited to minor injuries and illnesses, rather than acute and serious illnesses. This requires us, the people, to pay attention to the accumulation of health knowledge and medication experience, to have a preliminary judgment on the priority of their own condition, in order to help choose the right medicine. Strictly in accordance with the recommended dosage: do not exceed the dosage or do not reduce the drug without authorization; children should be used under adult supervision; for special groups of people should pay attention to any contraindications, dosage restrictions and other factors that need to be considered, consult a doctor or pharmacist when necessary. Do not change the route of administration without authorization: topical suppositories should not be taken orally, oral dosage forms should not be mashed for external application, etc. Pay attention to drug interactions: Before combining prescription drugs with over-the-counter drugs or taking more than one over-the-counter drug at the same time, carefully check the drug ingredients or consult a doctor or pharmacist to prevent taking two drugs with the same pharmacologically active ingredients at the same time and prevent toxic side effects from repeated medication. Observe the development of the disease: After using the drug, you should carefully experience or observe whether the disease is reduced or aggravated, whether the symptoms of adverse reactions described in the instructions appear, or whether other new symptoms appear, if you cannot judge by yourself, you should consult a doctor or pharmacist, or seek medical consultation in time. Can not read the drug instructions? You must be able to read them. How to store drugs properly at home? Generally, it is sufficient to store them in a cool, dry place with the box closed. However, some over-the-counter drugs have other requirements such as refrigeration, shade, etc. It is recommended that you store them according to the instructions under [Storage]. Another point to pay special attention to is to avoid putting it in a place where children can reach it.