OTC stands for Over-The-Counter drugs. An OTC is a drug that you can purchase without a prescription. A product is considered an OTC if it contains an active ingredient listed by the FDA under the USP as a safe over the counter drug. OTCs can be topically applied products or edibles. All OTCs have a medical claim and directions how to use with a warning label, and must have an expiration date, Lot number, and an identification of the distributor or manufacturer.