<unk>  medication with child-resistant packaging (cap) and tamper-resistant carton and innerseal Photo of the packaging of four medicines showing their Product Licence Numbers and symbols denoting if they are Prescription Only Medicine (POM) or Pharmacy Medicine (P) Over-the-counter <unk> <unk> s are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription<unk> s, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescription. In many<unk> ies,<unk> <unk> s are selected by a regulatory agency to ensure that they contain ingredients that are safe and effective when used without a physician's care.<unk> <unk> s are usually regulated according to their active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) rather than final products. By regulating APIs instead of specific<unk>  formulations, governments allow manufacturers the freedom to formulate ingredients, or combinations of ingredients, into proprietary mixtures. The term over-the-counter <unk>  refers to a medication that can be purchased without a medical prescription. In contrast, prescription<unk> s require a prescription from a doctor or other health care professional and should only be used by the prescribed individual. Some<unk> s may be legally classified as over-the-counter (i.e. no prescription is required), but may only be dispensed by a pharmacist after an assessment of the patient's needs or the provision of patient education. Regulations detailing the establishments where<unk> s may be sold, who is authorized to dispense them, and whether a prescription is required vary considerably from<unk> y to<unk> y.
Over-the-counter drug
Oral medicine
Wettable powder
Prescription drug
Therapeutic food
Cold medicine
Tablet 
Single-use medical devices