Navigating The Pharmacy (NAPSA)—More than 100,000 over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and health supplements are available in drugstoreaisles. Fred Eckel, registered pharmacist and professor at the University of North Carolina’s Schoolof Pharmacy, offers simple tips for = choosing your medicine: Store brand medications are a more cost-friendly option for many consumers. Befriend Your Pharma- cist: Pharmacists keep up to date on current OTC offerings. They can tell you what medication is best for your symptoms, inform you of possible side effects, clarify dosing, warn of drug interactions and discuss other issues confidentially. *Read Medicine Labels: To make sure you’re using the best product for your specific symptoms, check “Drug Facts”labels closely. Shop and Save: Store brand OTC medications deliver the same symptom-relief benefits at a lower cost. For example, the nearly 30 million U.S. adults who suffer from frequent heartburn now have access to store brand Omeprazole. It delivers the same medicine at the same dose as Prilosec OTC, at a better price. Learn more at the Web site, www.treatmyheartburn.com.
