OTC Medications for Cold and Flu Remain Cornerstone of Community Care

OTC medications, including antihistamines, decongestants, and analgesics, used to treat colds and flu remain paramount in improving adolescents’ symptoms in a safe and effective manner. Serving as key drivers of improving community care, cold and flu products, however, do have potential for misuse and risk—highlighting the pharmacist’s continued role in medication management, according to a study published in US Pharmacist.¹

“OTC medications are essential in modern health care, offering accessible and affordable treatment options for common ailments without requiring a prescription,” wrote the authors of the study. “These medications, including analgesics, cold and flu remedies, antacids, and more, are widely used by consumers to manage minor health issues; 81% of adults turn to OTC medicines as their first response to minor ailments.”

Among their sheer availability and convenience, OTC medications are often a go-to for adult patients experiencing cold-and-flu-like symptoms. However, territories regarding the treatment of cold-and-flu symptoms among children are a bit uncharted.

READ MORE: Q&A: Pain Medication Expert on Controversy Surrounding Acetaminophen-Autism Link

According to a study in the Journal of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences University, parents giving their children OTC medications for a cold or the flu remains significantly prominent. Findings from the study highlighted that just under half (46%) of parents reported giving their child under the age of 5 some type of OTC medicine.²

Despite ongoing developments and discussions surrounding OTC products and their impact on children, researchers of the current study wanted to further elucidate the pharmacist’s role in managing these products. Additional researchers explored the overall prominence of and nuance behind children’s OTC use for colds, coughs, fevers, flu, and the myriad of minor ailments in between.

OTC Products for Pediatric Fever

In a study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion, researchers conducted a narrative review of randomized, blinded, and controlled studies that explored and compared acetaminophen and ibuprofen’s effects in treating childhood fevers. Specifically exploring the antipyretic effects of these often-OTC products, they found that both exhibited similar effects when administered at physician-directed doses.³

Ibuprofen, however, demonstrated slight superiority over acetaminophen when taken at “OTC doses.” In the context of this study, OTC doses ranged from 10 to 15 mg/kg for acetaminophen and 5 to 10 mg/kg for ibuprofen. Physician-directed doses remained at the higher threshold for each drug—15 mg/kg for acetaminophen and 10 mg/kg for ibuprofen.

“Although the overall antipyretic efficacy of OTC oral tablet and syrup formulations of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in febrile children at physician-directed doses is similar, ibuprofen may have modest advantages over acetaminophen at OTC doses in terms of faster onset of antipyresis, overall efficacy, and duration of fever reduction, but provides only limited clinical benefit,” wrote the authors of the study.³ “Both acetaminophen and ibuprofen are well tolerated and effective when caregivers follow the labeling information on dosing.”

Despite ibuprofen slightly edging out acetaminophen in some specific cases like this one, results of this review only confirm the persistently effective outcomes of children’s OTC medication use for treating fevers. Furthermore, with an ever-evolving landscape of products for parents to choose from, options are only becoming safer and more effective as more and more drugs move to OTC.¹

One example of the variety in OTC options for treating children’s fevers is displayed in FeverAll—the only acetaminophen product with dosing instructions for children as young as 6 months. With its formulation as a rectal suppository, OTC products like FeverAll present new ways to treat fevers in the youngest of patients.⁴

OTC Products for Pediatric Cold and Cough

Another study published in the Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences explored a variety of OTC products for the treatment of cold and cough symptoms, including the aforementioned analgesics like ibuprofen. Amid trends of using OTC products for patients of younger ages, researchers explored the prominence of OTC cough and cold medications (OTC-CCM) in children under 2.⁵

Although OTC medication use was significantly prominent in the context of this study, the safety and efficacy of these drugs were not perceived in a positive light.

“Despite international and national warning reports, physicians frequently overprescribe [and] parents overuse OTC-CCM and antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections in young children,” they wrote.⁵ “Public education, a refresher training program for health personnel, [and] national reports or feedback to physicians who keep prescribing may be effective to reduce unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics/cough medicines.”

Pharmacists and the Future of Treating Childhood Coughs and Fevers

Indeed, despite continued efficacy and safety reports regarding these products, there is still potential for abuse or misuse—especially among children and younger patients. This opens the door for pharmacists to step in and assess each and every individual patient that enters the pharmacy to buy themselves or their child an OTC product.

As more products with greater efficacy, such as FeverAll, reach the market, the duties of pharmacists and prescribers will be to educate themselves on OTC developments so they can keep their patients informed and safe from harm.

“Pharmacists must remain adaptable, committed to ongoing education, and dedicated to patient-centered care,” concluded the authors of the US Pharmacist study.¹ “By doing so, pharmacists can continue to enhance the value of OTC medications in managing cough and allergy symptoms and improving patient outcomes and quality of life.”

READ MORE: OTC Resource Center

REFERENCES

1. Ambizas EM. Exploring common OTC cold and allergy medications. US Pharmacist. September 18, 2024. Accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/exploring-common-otc-cold-and-allergy-medications

2. Basheer S, Kulkarni P, Simlum N, et al. Navigating over-the-counter medication use for under 5 children comparing urban, rural and tribal parental approaches: a cross-sectional study. J Datta Meghe Inst Med. 2025;20(2):403-407. https://doi.org/10.4103/jdmimsu.jdmimsu_104_25

3. Paul IM, Walson PD. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen in the treatment of pediatric fever: a narrative review. CMRO. 2021;37(8):1363-1375. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007995.2021.1928617

4. FeverAll acetaminophen suppositories. FeverAll. Accessed January 22, 2026. https://www.feverall.com/feverall-suppositories.html

5. Turan C, Yurtseven A, Saz EU. Physician's prescription pattern in young infants with upper respiratory infections/cough and cold in emergency department. Pak J Med Sci. 2020 Jan-Feb;36(2):166-171. doi: 10.12669/pjms.36.2.1240