Over the Counter Medications

Many times, minor ailments such as headaches, coughs, or even nausea can easily be remedied with the consumption of an over the counter medication. These popular drugs are easy to get since individuals do not need a prescription to purchase them. By choosing over the counter medicine to relieve an ailment, people save money not only on costly prescription medication, but also on a trip to the doctor’s office. Of course, more serious issues cannot be cured with ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and for these problems, a more accurate diagnosis and specific drug will be necessary.

The Dangers of Over the Counter Drugs

While over the counter medications are great solutions to minor health issues, their accessibility also makes them prime targets for drug abuse. Young adults in particular tend to turn to these drugs for recreational use. Medicines containing the drug dextromethorphan (DXM) will give the user a “high” if enough of it is ingested. DXM is commonly found in medicines used to treat the symptoms of colds or the flu – for example, in cough suppressants.

Additionally, like any medication, there is a chance that something could go wrong in the manufacturing or packaging of an over the counter drug and a person could wind up ingesting something other than what he or she had intended and suffer serious and dangerous side effects.

Contact Us

If you would like to learn more about the dangers of over the counter drugs and the steps you can take if you have been harmed by one of these medications, call the Washington medical malpractice attorneys of Fuller & Fuller today at 800-570-4878.