Why are there 2 sets of ingredients on OTC medicines?

Answer by  LeheckaG (1826)

Drugs/medicines normally have "active"-ingredients listed in order of either "greatest-effect" or by-weight; followed by "inactive"-ingredients listed by-weight. Active/inactive is relative to a medicine's "intended"-use; both types can have side-effects.

Answer by  G12345 (1808)

Because there are two categories. One is the active medical ingredients, this is the set that really matters. The other set is the non medical ingredients and is essentially filler.

Answer by  wishfire (119)

One of the ingredient lists (the one with only several items in the list) lists the active ingredients that makes the medication work. The other, longer list is all of the inactive ingredients in it, such as the physical constitution of the pill.