Medical prescription

By: Alternix

Definition and Format of Medical Prescriptions

A prescription is a formal communication from a healthcare professional to a pharmacist, authorizing them to dispense a specific drug for a specific patient.
The symbol ℞, sometimes transliterated as R or Rx, is recorded in 16th-century manuscripts as an abbreviation of the Latin instruction 'recipe,' meaning receive.
Medieval prescriptions began with an instruction from the physician to the apothecary to compound certain materials.
To be accepted as a legal medical prescription, it needs to be filed by a qualified healthcare professional.
The prescription may be entered into an electronic medical record system, transmitted electronically to a pharmacy, or handwritten on preprinted prescription forms.

Every prescription contains information about who prescribed it, who it is valid for, and what is prescribed.
Additional information may be required depending on jurisdiction, drug type, or patient group.
Prescriptions may specify whether the pharmacist can substitute a generic version of the drug.
In some jurisdictions, the age of the child may need to be included on the prescription.
Prescriptions often include instructions on taking the medication and may specify the number of refills allowed.

Many brand name drugs have cheaper generic substitutes that are therapeutically and biochemically equivalent.
Prescriptions may indicate whether the pharmacist can substitute a generic version of the drug.
Different jurisdictions have different ways of communicating substitution preferences, such as preprinted lines or handwritten phrases.
In the UK's National Health Service, doctors are reminded to consider using generic drugs to allocate resources effectively.
Non-substitution preferences may be indicated to ensure the patient receives the specific brand necessary for their treatment.

In some jurisdictions, it may be a legal requirement to include the age of the child on the prescription.
Pediatric prescriptions may advise including the age and weight of the child for accurate dosing.
Including the age on the prescription is generally helpful.
The weight of the child can also be included for better medication management.
Providing accurate information about the child helps ensure safe and appropriate medication use.

Prescriptions in the US often have a label box for the pharmacist to provide information about the medication and instructions.
The label may include the indication for the medication, assisting the pharmacist in checking for errors.
Some prescriptions specify the number of repeats or refills allowed.
Regulations may restrict certain drugs from being refilled.
Instructions for taking the medication are provided on the label or separately to the patient.

Reference	URL
Glossary	https://www.alternix.com/blogs/glossary-of-terms/medical-prescription
Wikipedia	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_prescription
Wikidata	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3355478
Knowledge Graph	https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/01s92x