**Background:** Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are widely used for minor ailments, and prior research has generally found that consumers perceive them as safe and effective. However, most studies have examined OTC medicines as a broad category rather than assessing perceptions of specific product types. This study aimed to evaluate consumer impressions of 15 specific OTC medicine categories across three dimensions: effectiveness, safety, and familiarity.
**Methods:** A cross-sectional, descriptive online survey was conducted in December 2021 among residents of Saskatchewan, Canada, aged 18 years and older. Participants were recruited from a university citizen panel database. The survey was sent to 3000 panel members, with 575 completed responses obtained (response rate 19.2%). Participants rated 15 OTC medicine categories on 10-point scales for effectiveness (1=not effective to 10=very effective), safety (1=not safe to 10=very safe), and familiarity (1=not familiar to 10=very familiar). The 15 categories were: headache medicine, antihistamines, fever medicine for a child, head cold medicine, cough syrup for an adult, cough syrup for a child, athlete's foot cream, cold sore ointment, laxatives, diarrhea medicine, heartburn medicine, diaper rash cream, oral medicine for low back pain, multivitamin, and oral medicine for muscle pain. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations via SPSS v28.
**Key Results:** On the effectiveness scale, scores ranged from 5.1 (athlete's foot cream) to 7.3 (headache medicine). Six categories scored between 5.0 and 5.9, eight between 6.0 and 6.9, and 11 of 15 were above the 5.5 midpoint. The three most effective agents were headache medicines (7.3), antihistamines (6.9), and fever medicine for a child (6.5). For safety, scores were more tightly clustered, ranging from 6.0 (cough syrup for a child) to 7.4 (multivitamin). Ten categories scored between 6.0 and 6.9, and all were above the 5.5 midpoint. Cough syrups for children were perceived as 0.5 units less safe than those for adults. Familiarity scores were generally low; only headache medicines (6.4) scored above the 5.5 midpoint, with eight categories scoring 3.9 or lower. Pearson correlations showed a strong positive correlation between effectiveness and safety ratings (r=0.6, p<0.05). Smaller but statistically significant correlations were found for familiarity versus effectiveness (r=0.4, p<0.05) and familiarity versus safety (r=0.2, p<0.05).
**Clinical Implications:** The findings support prior research indicating that consumers generally perceive OTC medicines as safe and effective, though safety ratings were not particularly high — even multivitamins, the safest-rated category, scored only 7.4 out of 10. This may reflect a healthy consumer awareness that OTC medicines carry some risk and should be used with care. The strong correlation between perceived effectiveness and safety suggests consumers may not fully distinguish between these two distinct pharmacological properties. The positive association between familiarity and favorable perceptions implies that consumer education and experience with OTC products may improve confidence in their use. Healthcare providers — including physicians, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists — should be aware that patients may hold varying perceptions across different OTC categories and should continue to counsel patients on appropriate OTC medicine selection and use.