Abstract
Complementary and alternative medicine is one area of OTC (over the counter) medications that is bucking the stagnant/declining sales trend (albeit starting from a low baseline). As consumers are encouraged to take more responsibility for their health and self-medication increases, complementary and alternative medicines are growing in popularity.
With a host of chemicals and additives getting a bad press, consumers who see natural products as more wholesome, less invasive and less likely to cause side effects, are attracted to readily available complementary medicines believing that at best they will be efficacious and at worst they will do no harm.