March 28, 2024 — If you’ve been to a drugstore or shopped online recently, you know: the number and variety of over-the-counter health products on the market — from cough syrups to anti-wrinkle creams — can be overwhelming. Which one should you choose and which one should you bypass? Which ones work best?
In a new report released today, American news and world report has tried to answer these questions. The publication partnered with the Harris Poll for the second consecutive year to produce the report, which ranked products into 132 categories based on input from pharmacists and dermatologists. Consumers can do that have access to it for free.
The list is robust, said Shanley Chien, editor-in-chief of Health at American news. It includes more than 900 brands across 132 product categories. Categories include acne treatments, sunscreens, sleep aids, blood pressure monitors and cough suppressants.
While many products received good reviews, Nature Made is the brand with the most No. 1 products this year, followed by CeraVe and Neutrogena. The company with the most No. 1 products is Kenvue (formerly a division of Johnson & Johnson), followed by Haleon (Sensodyne, Advil, Centrum) and Parmavite LLC (Nature Made).
How to use the list? “It’s really based on individual needs,” Chien said. For example, if you are trying to find the best multivitamin for your child, you can consult the list for suggestions. (Flintstones took first place.) It’s based on the symptoms and what you’re trying to treat, she said.
Methodology
For the rankings, American news and Harris surveyed 354 pharmacists and 122 dermatologists practicing in the US in February.
Respondents considered availability, accessibility, cost, affordability, safety, efficacy and quality when choosing the best brands. For example, Chien said many experts said they ranked some migraine medications higher than others because they were both effective and more accessible — and that accessibility is important for people with migraines trying to resume their regimen.
Both pharmacists and dermatologists selected the three best brands in each assigned product category. A brand that is on the highest ranking receives 5 points, a second place 3 and a third place 1. A brand that is not on the ranking receives no points. Brands were ranked based on the total number of points received.
No compensation or incentives were given to the participants. The pharmacists and dermatologists indicated how familiar they were with the categories they were asked to assess, but financial ties with companies were not recorded. No conflicts of interest were mentioned in any responses American news.
The winners
Among the many products ranked #1 by pharmacists in various categories are:
- Arthritis creams: Voltaren
- Pain relief for arthritis: Aleve
- Backache: Motrin
- Blood pressure monitors: Omron
- Treatment of burns: Neosporin
- Cough medicine for children: Delsym for children
- Multivitamins for children: Flints
- Decongestants (oral): Sudafed (pseudoephedrine)
- Anti-diarrhea remedies: Imodium
- Fish oil/omega-3 supplements: Naturally made
- Multivitamins for Men: Centre
- Multivitamins for Women: One per day
- Sore throat sprays: Chloraseptic
Among the many products rated #1 by dermatologists:
- Sunscreens for Babies: Aveeno Baby
- Baby wipes: Aveeno
- Dandruff shampoos: Head and shoulders
- Diaper rash: Desitin
- Eye creams (anti-wrinkle): La Roche Posay
- Facial Moisturizers: CeraVe
- Hand creams: Neutrogena
- Moisturizers with SPF, night creams: CeraVe
- Sunscreens (face): EltaMD
- Wrinkle creams: Neutrogena
Perspectives
A pharmacist and two dermatologists reviewed the new report for WebMD and had some additional suggestions on how to use it and what other actions are needed to find effective products.
The experts see a need for guidance.
“The variety of products marketed for similar indications by different manufacturers can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate for consumers,” says Melody Berg, PharmD, editor-in-chief of patient medication information for ASHP (the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists ). “While this list attempts to make that decision more manageable, it cannot replace the medical expertise of a pharmacist or other healthcare provider.”
In addition to encouraging people to talk to their pharmacist, she stressed the importance of knowing what the active ingredient is in a product, not just the brand name.
She suggested using the new report “as a starting point for discussion” with the pharmacist. The ASHP patient medication website Safe Medication also provides valid information about OTC products, she said.
When choosing OTC products, individual needs and personal characteristics should be taken into account, says John Barbieri, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and director of the Advanced Acne Therapeutics Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “When it comes to skin care, it is important to consider which ingredients and formulations make the most sense for one’s skin type and skin care goals,” he said.
He also encourages people to think about an overall skincare routine, and not just focus on individual products.
For skin care products, “I would look for products that are dermatologist-approved or recommended,” says Mamina Turegano, MD, a New Orleans dermatologist. “These are often brands that thoroughly research the products and their ingredients.”
These products often avoid the use of fragrances and dyes, she said, which are problematic for some.
Turegano has been a consultant for Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, Estee Lauder and Dermavent.