Over-the-counter medications are a lucrative business for Big Pharma.

In fact, OTC medications often produce more revenue for Big Pharma than prescription drugs do. As of 2015, the top-selling OTC drugs and the revenue they brought in include:

• Heartburn products — $2.5 billion

• Pain relieving oral analgesics — $3.8 billion

• Sun care products and sunscreen — more than $1 billion

Anyone who has gone into a chain pharmacy is not surprised by those sales numbers.

When I go to other countries, I am struck by how many fewer pharmacies, especially chain pharmacies, there are.

America produces, and takes, many more drugs than any other people on the planet.

That would be fine if we enjoyed better health for taking so many drugs, but we don’t. In fact, our health continually ranks last or near last compared to other wealthy Western countries.

People may think that OTC drugs are safer because they do not need a prescription. Although OTC medications may not have as many side effects, there are still many problems associated with their use.