Over the counter (OTC) medicine have the same manufacturing requirements as prescription medications. However, OTC medicine does not include herbal supplements, which are not proven to be effective. They undergo the same quality checks.

However the dose of the effective drugs is lower in the OTC medicine than in prescription medicines. Like prescription medicines, where the patient has to follow the instructions of the doctor, for OTC medicines also, the user has to take the medicines as the directions on the packaging. Usually an error in the intake of the medicine is less likely to adversely affect the health of the user.