As new prescription drugs, over-the-counter remedies and dietary supplements migrate into medicine cabinets across the United States, consumers should be asking pharmacists more about dosage and interactions.

Yet many aren't talking to pharmacists at all, according to a recent survey of more than 40,000 Consumer Reports readers.

CR found that readers sought pharmacists' advice about prescription drugs at just 38 percent of walk-in visits during the course of a year, and they asked about over-the-counter remedies at just 29 percent.

That's far less than in CR's 2002 survey, when the figures were 50 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

Since 1998, when CR first surveyed readers about their drugstore experiences, the independents always have ranked above the other types of stores.

This year, independent drugstores topped the ratings. CR rated Medicine Shoppe a close second, followed by Snyders Drugs.

Here are the choices and how they compare, according to CR:

• Independents: Personal service. Readers gave pharmacists at independent stores high marks for being accessible, approachable, easy to talk to and knowledgeable about prescription as well as nonprescription products.

• Chains: Customers might have to wait. Americans still buy most of their medications from conventional chains such as CVS and Walgreens. However, more than one in four readers complained of a wait at chain stores.

• Supermarkets: Shop while waiting. About 10,000 supermarkets include a pharmacy, some open 24 hours a day. Druggists in supermarkets fill fewer prescriptions a day, so in theory, there can be a closer relationship with patients.

• Mass merchants: Seek special deals. Of CR readers who patronized big-box stores, 8 percent lacked prescription-drug coverage, which reflects the stores' focus on price. For example, Wal-Mart and Target sell a 30-day supply of more than 300 drugs, primarily generics, for $4 each.

• Online/mail order: Save on refills. Some Web sites have no store counterpart; others do. When walk-in stores had Web affiliates, overall satisfaction scores for the two venues were similar.