Professor and Vice Chair Ochsner Health New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
This expert lecture will cover the scope and regulation of the OTC drug market, the pros and cons of OTC availability, and specific concerns that surround the most common classes of OTC drugs. Sinus, cold and allergy medications comprise the largest segment of the OTC drug market and will be covered in detail. Attention will be likewise given to nasal sprays, otologic medications, ceruminolytics, and anti-reflux medications. Salient aspects of direct-to-consumer advertising and the psychological effects of that practice will be discussed. Finally, suggestions will be provided for counseling and direction of individual patient care. The lecturer holds a graduate degree in Pharmacology which will inform the presentation through a clinical lens.
Learning Objectives:
Understand the influence, regulation, and positive and negative effects of drug advertising.
Recognize sources of confusion about OTC medications among patients and the lay public.
Learn to evaluate specific drug classes for appropriateness as unsupervised treatment options.
