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 A man called the pharmacy to ask how to take a cold medicine he had just purchased, Alka-Seltzer Plus Day and Night Liquid Gels (see Photo 1). Both blue and green gel capsules were inside the box, but he could not find the directions regarding which capsules to take and how often. The pharmacist could not find the directions, either, so he called the drug company for help. He learned that the directions were “hidden” under a sealed flap on the back of the box (see Photo 2). The label on the box had given him no hint to lift up the corner and peel it back to view the directions for taking the medicine.
 The pharmacist called the man back to tell him how to find the directions for use. Two blue capsules are supposed to be taken every 4 hours as needed during the day. Two green capsules are supposed to be taken every 6 hours as needed during the night. The day and night capsules contain slightly different ingredients (see Table 1).
Alka-Seltzer Plus Day and Night is also available in effervescent (fizzy) tablets. The directions for use are “hidden” under a sealed flap for this medicine, too. In fact, the makers of many over-the-counter medicines are now putting some of the information about its drug and how to take it on “hidden” labels underneath the outer label. In some cases, there are directions to pull the flap up to view the information; in other cases, the consumer is expected to find the directions on their own. If you purchase an over-the-counter medicine and cannot find the directions for its use, inspect the box or bottle to see if the label can be peeled back. If you can’t find the directions, or if you have any questions, call your pharmacist for assistance.
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