Best drugs for what ails you

The brands to buy—and those to skip

When did choosing a cold, flu, or allergy remedy become so complicated? For example, Tylenol sells 11 products for colds and coughs and another seven for allergy and sinus problems—and those don’t include the formulations for children. Hidden in the pharmacy aisles are some effective treatments, our research has found, but also ineffective products and even some potentially dangerous ones. Here's how you can compare drugs.