What is Behind-The-Counter Medication?

A new classification of drugs

In 2006, legal requirements by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limited the sale of common cold medicines that contain the ingredient pseudoephedrine on pharmacy and drugstore shelves, regulating their sales to behind a pharmacy counter.² In addition, limits were placed on the amount of pseudoephedrine that people could purchase each month, with photo identification required; pharmacies were also required to hold onto purchasers’ personal information for two years.²

This was to prevent medicines containing pseudoephedrine from being abused in the production of illegal substances.² Pseudoephedrine is a nasal decongestant that is used to relieve nasal congestion caused by colds and common allergies.² The most powerful oral nasal decongestant available without a prescription, pseudoephedrine is still directly available to consumers. However, its BTC status means that it is placed in a secure location—such as a locked cabinet, or in the prescription filling area—where individuals can’t directly access the product.²

Benefits of BTC medication

By making BTC medicines still available without a prescription, it allows those without access to healthcare to still access medications that they might not be able to obtain otherwise.¹ Some consumers may find the time needed to make a doctor’s appointment, as well as the potential cost of medical care and prescriptions, as barriers to obtaining the medication they need.¹

Many BTC medications are necessary to treat chronic conditions and health emergencies.³ By switching widely used prescription medications to nonprescription status, consumers who are suffering from ailments such as allergies, asthma, diabetes, and severe cold/flu symptoms can obtain safe, nonprescription access to medications that can potentially help patients before they reach the emergency room.³

The importance of medication labeling and pharmacist training

Experts in the medical field have called for a national program to train pharmacists in the safe selection and use of BTC medications for their customers.³ To aid with this, proper labeling for BTC medications at the point of sale is important.³

Theraflu-D is one medication that falls in BTC status. The “D” in Theraflu-D stands for decongestant, in order to denote that it is the only flu relief syrup available with pseudoephedrine. This “-D” naming convention is used in BTC items to denote that it contains a decongestant, especially those used to treat multiple symptoms including cough, sore throat, headache, and nasal & sinus congestion.

Formulated to fight your toughest flu symptoms, Theraflu-D cold and flu syrup offers multi-symptom relief that means you won’t have to combine different medications to feel better. With both daytime and nighttime formulas, you can feel better fast without a prescription.