Self-care Product Survey
Nonprescription products offer preparations to treat a wide range of disorders. There is an expanding variety of home testing and monitoring kits available for patients interested in preventative care, detecting the presence or absence of a medical or physiologic condition, and monitoring therapy or results of a wellness routine. Pharmacists are in a prime position to offer self-care recommendations for patients seeking OTC relief.
Diagnostics
Blood glucose monitors
OneTouch.................................. 1
FreeStyle.................................... 2
Accu-Check................................ 3
Blood pressure monitors
Omron........................................ 1
Nontouch digital thermometer
Braun........................................ 1
Vicks......................................... 2
Ears and Eyes
Adult earache relief
Similasan................................... 1
Debrox....................................... 2
Hyland’s Naturals...................... 2
Contact lens solution
Bausch + Lomb.............................. 1
OPTI-FREE Puremoist................... 2
Eye drops for pink eye
Similasan....................................1
Visine........................................ 2
Eye vitamin
PreserVision............................... 1
Ocuvite....................................... 2
Multisymptom eye drops
Visine........................................ 1
Systane...................................... 2
Family planning
Condom
Trojan........................................ 1
Pregnancy test
Clearblue..................................1
First Response......................... 1
e.p.t.......................................... 2
First aid
Bandages
Band-Aid................................... 1
Self-care survey redux
This section of Pharmacy Today’s Self-Care Product Survey is reprinted from the full survey results published in the August 2023 issue of the magazine and available online at pharmacytoday.org.
The current survey was conducted by BrandSpark/Newsweek International using a scientifically valid methodology, and lists those nonprescription products most often recommended by pharmacists in the United States to consumers.
The winners were selected based on a survey of 1,716 pharmacists practicing in the United States who gave their unaided write-in opinions on which brands they’d recommend to patients in 86 categories. The highest share of citations as most trusted in the category determined the winner. If the margin of citation share between the leading brands did not exceed the estimate of sampling error at 90% statistical confidence, then a tie was declared.
Please also see APhA’s Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs, the definitive source of professional information about OTC products. The Handbook is available online at PharmacyLibrary.com.
These data may not be used without the prior permission of the APhA.