The typical community pharmacist now spends about 2 hours a week advising customers about OTC products. In the vast majority of cases, patients are following the pharmacist's advice.

A new survey reported by the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) found that pharmacists are asked about OTC products an average of 32 times a week. Of the pharmacists participating in the survey, 55% said that they spend 3 to 5 minutes advising each patient who asks about an OTC product.

"Apparently that time is well spent," the APhA official said, noting that patients follow the pharmacist's OTC product recommendations 81% of the time.