Prescription drug
A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a
In North America, ℞, usually printed as "Rx", is used as an abbreviation of the word "prescription". It is a contraction of the Latin word "recipe" (an imperative form of "recipere") meaning "take".[1] Prescription drugs are often dispensed together with a monograph (in Europe, a Patient Information Leaflet or PIL) that gives detailed information about the drug.
The use of prescription drugs has been increasing since the 1960s.
Regulation
This section needs more primary sources. (July 2020) |
Australia
In Australia, the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP) governs the manufacture and supply of drugs with several categories:[2]
- Schedule 1 – Defunct Drug.
- Schedule 2 – Pharmacy Medicine
- Schedule 3 – Pharmacist-Only Medicine
- Schedule 4 – Prescription-Only Medicine/Prescription Animal Remedy
- Schedule 5 – Caution/Poison.
- Schedule 6 – Poison
- Schedule 7 – Dangerous Poison
- Schedule 8 – Controlled Drug (Possession without authority illegal)
- Schedule 9 – Prohibited Substance (Possession illegal without a license legal only for research purposes)
- Schedule 10 – Controlled Poison.
- Unscheduled Substances.
As in other developed countries, the person requiring a prescription drug attends the clinic of a qualified
Many prescriptions issued by health practitioners in Australia are covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, a scheme that provides subsidised prescription drugs to residents of Australia to ensure that all Australians have affordable and reliable access to a wide range of necessary medicines. When purchasing a drug under the PBS, the consumer pays no more than the patient co-payment contribution, which, as of January 1, 2022, is A$42.50 for general patients. Those covered by government entitlements (low-income earners, welfare recipients, Health Care Card holders, etc.) and or under the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) have a reduced co-payment, which is A$6.80 in 2022.[3] The co-payments are compulsory and can be discounted by pharmacies up to a maximum of A$1.00 at cost to the pharmacy.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the Medicines Act 1968 and the Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Order 1997 contain regulations that cover the supply of sale, use, prescribing and production of medicines. There are three categories of medicine:[4]
- Prescription-only medicines (POM), which may be dispensed (sold in the case of a private prescription) by a pharmacist only to those to whom they have been prescribed
- Pharmacy medicines (P), which may be sold by a pharmacist without a prescription
- General sales list (GSL) medicines, which may be sold without a prescription in any shop
The simple possession of a prescription-only medicine without a prescription is legal unless it is covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.[5]
A patient visits a
Most prescriptions are
Outside the NHS, private prescriptions are issued by private medical practitioner and sometimes under the NHS for medicines that are not covered by the NHS.[10][11] A patient pays the pharmacy the normal price for medicine prescribed outside the NHS.
Survey results published by Ipsos MORI in 2008 found that around 800,000 people in England were not collecting prescriptions or getting them dispensed because of the cost, the same as in 2001.[12]
United States
Regulation of therapeutic goods in the United States |
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Prescription drugs Over-the-counter drugs |
In the United States, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines what substances, known as legend drugs, require a prescription for them to be dispensed by a pharmacy. The federal government authorizes physicians (of any specialty), physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses, veterinarians, dentists, and optometrists to prescribe any controlled substance. They are issued unique DEA numbers.[13] Many other mental and physical health technicians, including basic-level registered nurses, medical assistants, emergency medical technicians, most psychologists, and social workers, are not authorized to prescribe legend drugs.[14]
The federal
The safety and the effectiveness of prescription drugs in the US are regulated by the 1987 Prescription Drug Marketing Act (PDMA). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with implementing the law.
As a general rule, over-the-counter drugs (OTC) are used to treat a condition that does not need care from a healthcare professional if have been proven to meet higher safety standards for self-medication by patients. Often, a lower strength of a drug will be approved for OTC use, but higher strengths require a prescription to be obtained; a notable case is ibuprofen, which has been widely available as an OTC pain killer since the mid-1980s, but it is available by prescription in doses up to four times the OTC dose for severe pain that is not adequately controlled by the OTC strength.
By law, American pharmacies operated by "membership clubs" such as Costco and Sam's Club must allow non-members to use their pharmacy services and may not charge more for these services than they charge as their members.[citation needed]
Physicians may legally prescribe drugs for uses other than those specified in the FDA approval, known as off-label use.[citation needed] Drug companies, however, are prohibited from marketing their drugs for off-label uses.[citation needed]
Some prescription drugs are commonly abused, particularly those marketed as
Some prescription painkillers have been found to be addictive, and unintentional poisoning deaths in the United States have skyrocketed since the 1990s according to the
Expiration date
The expiration date, required in several countries, specifies the date up to which the manufacturer guarantees the full potency and safety of a drug. In the United States, expiration dates are determined by regulations established by the FDA.[19] The FDA advises consumers not to use products after their expiration dates.[20]
A study conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration covered over 100 drugs, prescription and over-the-counter. The results showed that about 90% of them were safe and effective far past their original expiration date. At least one drug worked 15 years after its expiration date.
The American Medical Association issued a report and statement on Pharmaceutical Expiration Dates.[23] The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide notes that, with rare exceptions, "it's true the effectiveness of a drug may decrease over time, but much of the original potency still remains even a decade after the expiration date".[24]
The expiration date is the final day that the manufacturer guarantees the full potency and safety of a medication. Drug expiration dates exist on most medication labels, including prescription, over-the-counter and dietary supplements. U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers are required by law to place expiration dates on prescription products prior to marketing. For legal and liability reasons, manufacturers will not make recommendations about the stability of drugs past the original expiration date.[25]
Cost
To lower prescription drug costs, some U.S. states have sought federal approval to buy drugs in Canada, as of 2022.[26]
Generics undergo strict scrutiny to meet the equal efficacy, safety, dosage, strength, stability, and quality of brand name drugs.[27] Generics are developed after the brand name has already been established, and so generic drug approval in many aspects has a shortened approval process because it replicates the brand name drug.[27]
Brand name drugs cost more due to time, money, and resources that drug companies invest in them to conduct development, including clinical trials that the FDA requires for the drug to be marketed.[28] Because drug companies have to invest more in research costs to do this, brand name drug prices are much higher when sold to consumers.[28]
When the patent expires for a brand name drug, generic versions of that drug are produced by other companies and are sold for lower price. By switching to generic prescription drugs, patients can save significant amounts of money: e.g. one study by the
Strategies to limit drug prices in the US
In the United States there are many resources available to patients to lower the costs of medication. These include copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. The Medicaid Drug Rebate Program is another example.[30]
Generic drug programs lower the amount of money patients have to pay when picking up their prescription at the pharmacy. As their name implies, they only cover generic drugs.[31]
Co-pay assistance programs are programs that help patients lower the costs of specialty medications; i.e., medications that are on restricted formularies, have limited distribution, and/or have no generic version available. These medications can include drugs for HIV, hepatitis C, and multiple sclerosis. Patient Assistance Program Center (RxAssist) has a list of foundations that provide co-pay assistance programs. Co-pay assistance programs are for under-insured patients. Patients without insurance are not eligible for this resource; however, they may be eligible for patient assistance programs.
Patient assistance programs are funded by the manufacturer of the medication. Patients can often apply to these programs through the manufacturer's website. This type of assistance program is one of the few options available to uninsured patients.
The out-of-pocket cost for patients enrolled in co-pay assistance or patient assistance programs is $0. It is a major resource to help lower costs of medications – however, many providers and patients are not aware of these resources.
Environment
Traces of prescription drugs — including
On the other hand, there is clear evidence of harm to aquatic animals and fauna. Recent advancements in technology have allowed scientists to detect smaller, trace quantities of pharmaceuticals in the ng/ml range.[37] Despite being found at low concentrations, female hormonal contraceptives may cause feminizing effects on male vertebrate species, such as fish, frogs and crocodiles.[37]
The FDA established guidelines in 2007 to inform consumers should dispose of prescription drugs.[38] When medications do not include specific disposal instructions, patients should not flush medications in the toilet, but instead use medication take-back programs to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical waste in sewage and landfills.[39] If no take-back programs are available, prescription drugs can be discarded in household trash after they are crushed or dissolved and then mixed in a separate container or sealable bag with undesirable substances like cat litter or other unappealing material (to discourage consumption).[39]
See also
- U.S. Controlled Substances Act
- Co-pay card
- Classification of Pharmaco-Therapeutic Referrals
- Drug policy – policy regulating drugs considered dangerous, rather than only medicinal
- Inverse benefit law
- List of pharmaceutical companies
- Package insert
- Pharmacy (shop)
- Pharmacy automation
- Pill splitting
- Prescription drug prices in the United States
- Regulation of therapeutic goods
References
- ^ "Rx". Merriam Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ "The Poisons Standard (the SUSMP)". Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
- ^ "About the PBS". Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- ^ "About Registration: Medicines and Prescribing". Health and Care Professions Council. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ "Other drug laws". Home Office. Archived from the original on 19 April 2010.
- ^ "How Much is the NHS Prescription Charge?". NHS Choices. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Staged end to prescription charge". BBC News. 5 December 2007.
- ^ "[NI] Prescription charges". NI Direct. Archived from the original on 29 August 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
- ^ a b "NHS in England - help with health costs". nhs.uk. NHS. NHS Choices. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ a b "Patients and prescribing: rights and responsibilities". British Medical Association. 23 March 2006. Archived from the original on 9 January 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ a b "Information and guidance on prescribing in general practice" (PDF). British Medical Association. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-07.
- ^ Ipsos MORI:Prescription Costs A Barrier To Healthcare, 27 February 2008
- ^ "Registration". DEA Diversion Control Division. 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "US Nurse Practitioner Prescribing Law: A State-by-State Summary". Medscape Nurses. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
- PMID 21690598.
- ^ "Prescription Drugs & Cold Medicines". www.drugabuse.gov. National Institute of Health. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-87912-357-4.
- ^ National Safety Council (2017). The State of Safety - A State-by-State Report. Itasca, IL. Pg. 30-31. accessed at: http://www.nsc.org/NSCDocuments_Advocacy/State-of-Safety/State-Report.pdf Archived 2017-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
- United States Food and Drug Administration. 8 February 2019.
- United States Food and Drug Administration. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
- ^ "Proceedings". Baylor Univ. Medical CTR. 13: 309.
- ^ Cohen, Laurie P. (2000-03-28). "Many Medicines Prove Potent for Years Past Their Expiration Dates". The Wall Street Journal. Vol. 235, no. 62. pp. A1.
- ^ "Report 1 of the Council on Scientific Affairs (A-01) Full text: Pharmaceutical Expiration Dates". American Medical Association. June 2001. Archived from the original on 2011-02-01. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
- ^ Drug Expiration Dates - Do They Mean Anything?. Harvard Health Publications. Retrieved on February 15, 2011.
- ^ "Drug Expiration Dates - Are Expired Drugs Still Safe to Take?". Drugs.com. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Phil Galewitz (14 December 2022). "States challenge Biden to lower drug prices by allowing imports from Canada". CBS News. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b Research, Center for Drug Evaluation and. "Questions & Answers - Generic Drugs: Questions & Answers". www.fda.gov. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
- ^ a b "Generic Drugs". US Food and Drug Administration. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Savings From Generic Drugs Purchased at Retail Pharmacies". US Food and Drug Administration. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Cost Sharing Out of Pocket Costs". Medicaid.gov. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ "Generic Drug Facts". FDA. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ Jeff Donn; Martha Mendoza; Justin Pritchard (2008-03-10). "Drugs found in drinking water". USA Today. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2008-03-13. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
- ^ Gray, Richard (2008-01-13). "Cancer drugs found in tap water". The Sunday Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2009-03-17. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
- ^ PMID 24521932.
- PMID 11988354.
- PMID 15577922.
- ^ S2CID 2567919.
- ^ "External Medicine: Discarded Drugs May Contaminate 40 Million Americans' Drinking Water". Scientific American. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
- ^ PMID 20435558.