Certain drug classification, in brief

OTC

Think of the aisle where you might find pain relievers or cold medicine without needing a doctor’s note.

This clue is asking for a short way to refer to drugs you can buy without a prescription. "OTC" stands for "over-the-counter," which is the common term for medications like pain relievers or cold medicine that don’t require a doctor’s note. The "in brief" part signals the answer is an abbreviation, not the full phrase.