# More Americans shrug off over-the-counter side effects than worry about them

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/health/more-americans-shrug-off-over-the-counter-side-effects-than-worry-about-them/

> Indexed question in Health.

## Reading

More Americans brush off the risk of side effects from over-the-counter medicines than worry about it, according to a May 2026 Verasight survey. About four-in-ten (42%) disagree that they worry about side effects when taking non-prescription medications, including 17% who strongly disagree.

Fewer, about a quarter (27%), agree that they worry, including 12% who strongly agree. Another 31% take neither side.

## Topline

Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement: I worry about side effects when I take over-the-counter (non-prescription) medications.

More Americans shrug off over-the-counter side effects than worry about them.

Net findings combine adjacent response options from the same scale.

- 3: 30.7%
- 2: 24.8%
- 1 - Strongly disagree: 17.0%
- 4: 15.9%
- 5 - Strongly agree: 11.5%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2026-05-11 → 2026-05-11
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.3%
- Module: beliefs
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-1.33](https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-1.33)

## Citation

Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-1.33](https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-1.33)