Reading the label: Though over-the-counter medicine labels have a significant amount of consumer information, nearly 30 percent of Americans polled in a recent survey said they weren’t findin… ...

Every OTC and Rx medicine has specific directions for safe use that should always be followed precisely. The directions tell you what amount of medicine to take, how to take it, when to take it ...

Other information to look for on the label is how the medicine may interact with other products like alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers, and other effects the over-the-counter medicine could have ...

Some common misinterpretations for the top labels, according to the study's patient survey: "Don't take food." For the bottom label: "chew pill and crush before swallowing" or "just for stomach." ...