over the counter

Their stint in the private equity business—in which firms buy and sell entire companies over the counter—led them to believe that private stock markets might be more efficient than public ones.

"There are lots of things, like painkillers or anti-nausea tablets, you can buy over the counter that may be helpful to manage headaches" says Dr Munro.

Some hearing aids are now available over the counter.

While drugs sold in U.S. pharmacies or over the counter typically don’t say “made in China,” the country often supplies active pharmaceutical ingredients in the drugs or precursor chemicals used to make those active ingredients.

In many countries, including the U.S., melatonin supplements can be purchased over the counter.