OTC is a drug that can be purchased without a prescription from a doctor or other medical professionals. The general public can use it by themselves according to the drug labels and instructions.
Health care products are short for health food, which have the characteristics of general food, can regulate human functions and are suitable for specific people to eat, but not for the purpose of treating diseases.
Extended data:
Medicine is an important weapon to treat diseases, and health care products can only be regarded as healthy lubricants, but they do not have therapeutic effects themselves. However, for commercial purposes, many manufacturers unilaterally emphasize efficacy and turn some health care products into omnipotent "artifacts" for treatment, which also leads some people to regard health care products as indispensable drugs to ensure health.
As early as 1996, the then Ministry of Health promulgated the Measures for the Administration of Health Foods, clearly pointing out that health care products are foods suitable for specific people to eat, which have the function of regulating the body and are not aimed at treating diseases. However, the concept of mediation between physical function and treatment is easily confused by non-professionals. When packaging and promoting health care products, many businesses weaken the attribute that health care products do not belong to drugs or have no therapeutic effect.
There are also many consumers who call health care products health care drugs, and even regard some health care products as a good way to fight chronic diseases. In addition to the "police tactical unit" of health food, it is also worth learning to mark "non-drugs" on products.
Baidu encyclopedia-health care products
Baidu encyclopedia-non-prescription drugs
People's Daily Online-Can health products be labeled as "non-drugs"? (Healthy China)