U.S. News Announces the 2025-2026 Best OTC Medicine & Health Products
New edition evaluates more than 1,000 over-the-counter consumer products, names product winners across 100+ product categories.
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in health care rankings and consumer advice, today published the third annual Best OTC Medicine & Health Products. The latest edition of the rankings features 133 categories, with 12 new over-the-counter product categories added this year.
The brands with the most No. 1 products among the 2025-2026 rankings are Nature Made (7), followed by CeraVe (6) and Neutrogena (5); the companies with the most No. 1 products are Haleon plc, followed by Kenvue Inc., Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc., The Procter & Gamble Company and L'Oreal Usa, Inc.
"Navigating the crowded shelves of over-the-counter products can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be a guessing game," said Shanley Chien, senior editor of health at U.S. News. "U.S. News' annual Best OTC Medicine & Health Products rankings offer consumers a trustworthy guide, backed by a statistical assessment of the top-performing over-the-counter products."
"U.S. News' in-depth evaluation across more than 100 categories, informed by the expertise of nearly 500 pharmacists and dermatologists, is your go-to resource for making confident over-the-counter purchasing decisions," Chien added.
In a continued partnership with global market research firm The Harris Poll, U.S. News surveyed 357 pharmacists and 134 dermatologists practicing in the United States in March 2025 regarding 133 categories. The over-the-counter medicine and health products that were evaluated ranged from prenatal and pregnancy care items to those for infants and children, and further encompass products for adults and seniors.
To determine the rankings, panelists selected their top three recommended brands within each category assigned to them. The brands that were highly ranked most often were ranked No. 1 for the corresponding product categories. U.S. News awarded the designations of Best OTC Medicine & Health Products only to those brands that satisfy U.S. News' statistical assessment of performance on the survey. Based on U.S. News' analysis, some product categories were awarded more than one winner.
Some popular product category winners evaluated by pharmacists among the 2025-2026 edition, ranked No. 1, include:
- Children's Cough Medicines: Children's Delsym
- Cough Drops: Halls
- Cough Suppressants: Delsym
- Daytime Cold and Flu Medicines: Mucinex
- Eye Drops for Dry Eyes: Refresh Tears
- Laxatives: MiraLAX
- Multivitamins: Centrum Men's Multivitamin, One A Day Women's Multivitamin
- Probiotic Supplements: Culturelle
- Stool Softeners: Colace
Some popular product category winners evaluated by dermatologists among the 2025-2026 edition, ranked No. 1, include:
- Face Moisturizers: La Roche-Posay
- Face Washes and Cleansers for Sensitive Skin: CeraVe
- Lip Balms: Aquaphor
- Retinol Creams and Serums: Neutrogena
- Stretch Mark Treatments: Mederma
- Sunscreen for Face: La Roche-Posay
- Vitamins for Hair Growth: Nutrafol Women's Hair Growth Supplements
- Wrinkle Creams: Neutrogena
Those looking to choose a health product that's right for them or their child should consult a medical professional as part of their decision-making process.
For the full rankings, visit U.S. News' Best OTC Medicine & Health Products. Explore more of the 2025-2026 product rankings using #BestOTCProducts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is a global public opinion, analytics, and market research consultancy that strives to reveal society's authentic values to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. With a global research reach of more than ninety countries, Harris offers advisory services across sectors to world leaders, CEOs, and business decision-makers with state-of-the-art analytics, real-time software services, and practitioners in marketing, reputation, customer experience, trends, futures, and thought leadership/research-for-public release, The Harris Poll translates shifting social sentiment into a competitive marketplace advantage. Harris is a Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW) company. www.theharrispoll.com.
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SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.