U.S. News & World Report is out with its 2026 rankings of the best over-the-counter medications and health products.<\/p>\n
U.S. News & World Report is out with its 2026 rankings of the best over-the-counter medications and health products, based on recommendations from pharmacists and dermatologists across the nation.\n<\/p>\n
The rankings were developed in partnership with The Harris Poll<\/a> and are based on a March survey of 357 pharmacists and 129 dermatologists. Participants were randomly assigned product categories and asked to identify the brands they would be most likely to recommend to consumers.<\/p>\n In total, 128 categories were evaluated, including supplements, allergy treatments and skincare products. Eleven new categories were added this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are the experts who are day-in, day-out, recommending these products and brands to their patients. So, they know best,\u201d said Shanley Chien, senior editor of health at U.S. News & World Report.<\/p>\n \u201cNavigating our health and our wellness, whether it\u2019s for ourselves or for our loved ones, can be incredibly overwhelming,\u201d Chien said. \u201cThis offers consumers a starting point for when they\u2019re trying to navigate their health and wellness journey.\u201d<\/p>\n The brands with the most products ranked number one in this report were Nature Made with 12, CeraVe with six and La Roche-Posay with four. The companies with the most products rated No. 1 were Haleon, followed by Pharmavite, Kenvue, L\u2019Oreal and Prestige Consumer Healthcare.<\/p>\n U.S. News said only brands that met its statistical performance standards based on survey results received a \u201cBest OTC Medicine & Health Products\u201d designation.<\/p>\n Among products ranked highest by pharmacists were Flonase for allergy nasal sprays, Children\u2019s Delsym for children\u2019s cough medicine, Pedialyte for electrolyte powders and Zyrtec for oral allergy medications. Dermatologists most frequently recommended Differin for acne, CeraVe for multiple skincare categories and La Roche-Posay for sunscreens and vitamin C serums.<\/p>\n U.S. News noted the rankings are intended to help consumers compare options and are not a substitute for medical advice. Health officials recommend speaking with a healthcare provider before starting new medications or supplements.<\/p>\n