On an OTC medicine label, which item identifies the active ingredient?

• A. Brand name
• B. Inactive ingredients
• C. Active ingredient
• D. Manufacturer

Answer: (C)

The part of an OTC label that identifies the active ingredient is the section labeled with the medicine’s active drug and its strength. This tells you the component that actually provides the therapeutic effect, such as the pain relief or fever reduction the product is meant to deliver. For example, in a common pain reliever, acetaminophen (the active ingredient) will be listed with its dose, letting you know exactly what drug is doing the work and how much to take.

The brand name is just the marketing name of the product, not the drug itself. Inactive ingredients are the fillers, binders, colors, and other substances in the medicine that don’t provide therapeutic benefit. The manufacturer identifies who made the product, which is useful for safety and quality assurance but doesn’t indicate what the active drug is.