Over the counter medicines
Key facts You can buy OTC medicines without a prescription. There are OTC medicines you can only buy in pharmacies, but you can buy other medicines in general shops, such as supermarkets and health food stores. Speak to a pharmacist for healthcare advice before buying OTC medicines. You might experience side effects from OTC medicines and they can interact with your prescription or other medicines. What are over-the-counter (OTC) medicines? You don’t need a prescription for some medicines. These are called over-the-counter medicines, or OTC medicines. You can buy pain medicines, for example, paracetamol and ibuprofen, as well as cough and cold remedies, over