National report ranking best OTC medications released

JACKSON, Tenn. — A list of some of the top over the counter medications was recently released by U.S. News & World Report.

This ranking consists of over 900 brands across 132 product categories. There is a pool of almost 500 experts who evaluate the brands.

Senior editor of health for U.S. News & World Report, Shanley Chein, tells us a little bit about what they are looking for with these medications.

“Safety, efficacy, and quality are really big ones, but also cost and availability,” Chein said. “For example, we had a lot of experts in their feedback say, ‘is this one usually well stocked? Have they had any backorder issues?’, things like that.”

One of the big categories that people might be interested in is allergy medications. The number one in the category for oral medications to help with allergies is Zyrtec.

There are many other categories when it comes to allergy meds. Chein talks about why some people may find this category important.

“Now that we’re headed into the warmer temperatures, we are transitioning from winter to spring. We can expect to see that uptick in seasonal allergies from trees, grass, and weeds, so it’s nice when we have those options to try and mitigate those pesky symptoms,” said Chein.

With so many different options on the shelves, it is important to have as much information as you can. Chein goes into a little bit more detail as to why this list is important for the public.

“The significance of the U.S. News OTC Medicine and Health Products is to really help consumers buy with confidence. Give them all the information based on expert recommendations, so that when they go to the local pharmacy, when they go to their local store, they can find a product that works best for them and is trusted by experts,” she said.

Just a few other categories include pediatrics, skin care, first aid, pain assistance, and many more.

Click here for the full rankings list.

For more news across the U.S., click here.