It used to be up to your doctor to distinguish among powerful antacids like Axid AR, Pepcid AC, Tagamet HB, and Zantac 75. But as the FDA approves nonprescription versions of some of the most prescribed drugs of all-over 600 products in the last 20 years-we find ourselves playing doctor with greater frequency. As the New York Times noted recently, there have been "two big changes in health care in recent years: the growing number of nonprescription drugs available, and the increasing willingness of Americans to treat their own illnesses."

The Over-The-Counter Doctor is the completely new drug and self-treatment reference that addresses these dramatic changes head-on. The only book of its kind, this guide is specifically devoted to covering nonprescription drugs and medical equipment and to answering the nagging question "what do I take when?" For everyone who has ever tried to figure out which pain reliever, cold remedy, allergy medicine, or antacid to take, this book is the essential companion. And unlike broader drug guides that focus on prescription medications, The Over-The-Counter Doctor thinks the way you do, putting similar drugs together-like listing aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen all under Analgesics-and guiding you to them easily instead of making you look at four different sections to figure out what to take.

With a simple, accessible format, The Over-The-Counter Doctor provides information on hundreds of conditions and clear cross-references to the exact medications that can treat or even prevent them. And it also is the first-ever guide to cover other important home medical aids, from durable equipment like otoscopes and vaporizers (when to use hot; when to use cold), home testing equipment like thermometers, pregnancy tests, and cholesterol tests; and every type of vitamin and mineral (including melatonin and zinc). And it's all written by the undisputed leader in consumer health advocacy. If it's in your drugstore, it's in this book. If you're going to be your own doctor, turn to the source that tells you what you need to know.

Charles B. Inlander is President of the People's Medical Society and has been its CEO since its founding in 1983. Inlander has guided the People's Medical Society to its status as the largest consumer health advocacy organization in the country. He is also a faculty lecturer at the Yale University School of Medicine and a health commentator on National Public Radio's Marketplace.

"Doctors have the American Medical Association to look after their interests. Hospitals have the American Hospital Association. Now, consumers have the People's Medical Society."-Knight-Ridder News Service