Over the counter (OTC) medications are something we often taken for granted. On any given day, if your head hurts or your stomach is queasy, you probably have a medicine cabinet full of items to soothe the pain.

A doctor's prescription is not needed to buy OTC medicines. Even so, they are real drugs. Side effects, drug interactions, and overdoses can occur. Errors with OTC medicines can beserious; they can even require an emergency room visit.

The most important part of taking or giving medicine happens before taking or giving that drug: reading and understanding the label. This is the easiest way to prevent errors andoverdoses, because OTC medicines are often used without health professional advice.