A prescription drug is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a prescription before it can be obtained. An antidepressant is a Psychiatric medication used for alleviating major depression or Dysthymia ('milder' depression Anxiety is a physiological and psychological state characterized by Cognitive, Somatic, Emotional and Behavioral components Medication, also referred to as medicine, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis cure mitigation treatment or prevention of disease A prescription (℞ is a health-care program implemented by a Physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription. Over-the-counter (OTC drugs are medicines that may be sold without a prescription, in contrast to Prescription drugs The name "over-the-counter" Different jurisdictions have different definitions of what constitutes a prescription drug.

Dispensation of prescription drugs often includes a package insert (in Europe, a Patient Information Leaflet or PIL) that gives detailed information about the drug. A package insert or prescribing information (in Europe Patient Information Leaflet for human medicines or Package Leaflet for veterinary medicines is

Contents 1 Regulation in United States 2 Regulation in United Kingdom 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading

Regulation in United States

U.S. drug regulation

Prescription drugs Over-the-counter drugs

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In the United States, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines what requires a prescription. The regulation of therapeutic goods, that is drugs and therapeutic devices, varies by jurisdiction A prescription drug is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a prescription before it can be obtained Over-the-counter (OTC drugs are medicines that may be sold without a prescription, in contrast to Prescription drugs The name "over-the-counter" The United States Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (abbreviated as FFDCA FDCA or FD&C is a set of laws passed by Congress in 1938 giving authority to the Prescription drugs are generally authorized by veterinarians, dentists, optometrists, physicians and nurse practitioners, though physician assistants do an increasing amount of drug prescribing under a physician's supervision. A Nurse Practitioner (NP is a Registered nurse who has completed specific advanced Nursing education (generally a Master's degree) and training in the In the United States, a physician assistant (PA is an advanced practice clinician licensed to practice Medicine with the supervision of a licensed It is generally required that an MD, DO, DPM, NP, DVM, DDS, DMD, OD, or PA write the prescription; basic-level registered nurses (as opposed to advanced practice nurses such as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, and nurse midwife), emergency medical technicians, psychologists (but not psychiatrists, who are physicians), and social workers as examples, do not have the authority to prescribe drugs. Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs also known as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses ( APRN s are Registered Nurses with advanced education knowledge skills and scope A clinical nurse specialist (CNS is an Advanced practice nurse, with graduate preparation (earned master's or doctorate from a program that prepares CNSs A nurse anesthetist ( AE) is a Registered nurse and advanced practice nurse who has acquired additional education and training to administer Anesthesia. In the United States, a nurse-midwife is an Advanced practice nurse who has specialized in the practice of obstetrical and gynecological care of relatively

The package insert for a prescription drug contains information about the intended effect of the drug and how it works in the body. It also contains information about side effects, how a patient should take the drug, and cautions for its use, including warnings about allergies.

The safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs in the US is regulated by the federal Prescription Drug Marketing Act of 1987. This article refers to a federal law For other meanings see PDMA. The Food and Drug Administration is charged with implementing this law.

As a general rule, over the counter drugs are used to treat conditions not necessarily requiring care from a health care provider and will have been proven to meet higher safety standards for self-medication by patients. Often a lower dosage of a drug will be approved for OTC use, while higher dosages will remain the province of a prescription; a notable case is ibuprofen, which has been widely available as an OTC pain killer since the mid-1980s but is still available in doses up to four times the OTC dose for use in cases of severe orthopedic pain. Ibuprofen ( INN) (ˌaɪbjuːˈpɹəʊfɛn (from the now outdated nomenclature i so- bu tyl- pro panoic- phen olic acid is a Non-steroidal

Herbal preparations, vitamins, minerals, and food supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so the individual consumer must be aware of the potential negative effects of using these preparations and also the potential interactions with prescription drugs they may be taking. A vitamin is an Organic compound required as a Nutrient in tiny amounts by an Organism. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific

In the United States, the term "prescription drug" is most commonly used, but they are also called legend drugs or Rx-only drugs, after the requirements of Federal and state laws that all such drugs bear a "legend" prohibiting sale without a prescription; though more complex legends have been used, on most original drug packaging today the legend simply says "Rx only". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the RX was the common Telegraph Abbreviation for "receive" later used in CW. In the United Kingdom, they are referred to as Prescription Only Medicine or POM. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Also, pharmacies operated by membership clubs, such as Costco and Sam's Club, by law must allow non-members to use their pharmacy services and must charge the same prices as to members. Costco Wholesale Corporation ( is the largest membership Warehouse club chain in the world based on sales volume headquartered in Issaquah Washington, Sam's Club is an American chain of membership-only retail Warehouse clubs Founded in 1983 it is owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores Inc

Prescription drugs -- including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones -- have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, it was reported on March 10, 2008. Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[1]

Regulation in United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, a patient visits a general practitioner (GP) who is able to prescribe medicines. A general practitioner, or GP is a medical practitioner who provides Primary care and specializes in Family medicine. If given an NHS prescription, this can be taken to a pharmacy to be dispensed. District nurses and health visitors have had limited prescribing rights since the mid-nineties where prescription for dressings and simple medicines would have had to have been signed by a doctor. District Nurses are senior Nurses who manage care within the community leading teams of community nurses and support workers Health visitors are UK registered Nurses or midwives who have undertaken further training to work as part of the Primary health care team Extended prescribing was introduced in late 1999, where appropriately trained nurses could prescribe from a limited list of POMs. From 2006, some nurses and pharmacists will be permitted to prescribe all medicines in the British National Formulary, except controlled drugs directly. The British National Formulary (BNF contains a wide spectrum of information on prescribing and Pharmacology, among others indications Side effects and Each item on the prescription is liable to a prescription charge in England of £7. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland 10 (as of 1st April 2008)^[2],This charge is paid entirely to the NHS through the pharmacy, while the pharmacy claims the cost of the medicine dispensed. Each "item" can cover any prescribed item in a very large or very small quantity according to the doctor's prescription. This means that the patients perceived "value" of the charge varies enormously - the actual cost of the medicine given out will routinely vary from a few pence to hundreds of pounds.

Although many patients are exempt from this charge, this includes those over 60, under 16 (or under 19 if in full-time education), patients with certain medical conditions, those on certain benefits and those with an HC2 certificate, which is issued if a patient can prove their income is under £8,000 per year. However, in Wales prescription charges have been abolished and in Scotland prescription charges have been reduced to £5 (as of 1st April 2008) as a first phase of abolishing them over the next three years. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. ^[3]

An HC2 certificate can be applied for — although not automatically granted — by those on a low income or in receipt of incapacity benefit. Claimants of "Jobseekers" and "Income support" automatically receive free prescriptions and dentistry. In the United Kingdom Jobseeker's Allowance ( JSA) colloquially known as The Dole, is a form of Unemployment benefit that is paid by the Welfare is financial assistance paid to people by governments

Those requiring regular prescriptions may make a saving by purchasing a pre-payment certificate which covers the cost of all prescriptions required for three months or a year. As of 1st April 2008 they cost £27. 85 for 3 months and £102. 50 for 12 months. (offering a saving to anyone who needs more than 3 items in 3 months or 14 items in 12 months).

The majority of items dispensed on NHS prescription are exempt from charges. This is because of the large number of medicines needed by, for example, the elderly or those with medical exemptions. NHS prescriptions can also be written for certain items by dentists and nurses. Some patients also receive private prescriptions, typically either from a doctor seen privately or for medicine not permitted on the NHS. A private prescription is a United Kingdom Medical term that refers to a prescription funded by the patient rather than the National Health Service. For these, the patient will pay the pharmacy directly for the cost of the medicine and the pharmacy's markup.

See also

• Regulation of therapeutic goods
• Package insert
• Pill splitting
• Prescription drug prices in the United States

References

Further reading

• The Optimal Level of Regulation in the Pharmaceutical Industry (Yale Economic Review)
• Jerry Avorn, Powerful Medicines: The Benefits, Risks, and Costs of Prescription Drugs, Random House (2004), hardcover, 448 pages, ISBN 0-375-41483-5
• Prescription drugs find place in teen culture in USA Today, June 12, 2006

The regulation of therapeutic goods, that is drugs and therapeutic devices, varies by jurisdiction A package insert or prescribing information (in Europe Patient Information Leaflet for human medicines or Package Leaflet for veterinary medicines is Pill-splitting refers to the practice of modifying a Tablet, capsule or pill to obtain a lower dose of the active ingredient or to obtain multiple Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world "The prices Americans pay for prescription drugs which are far higher than those paid by citizens of any other developed country help explain USA TODAY is a national American daily Newspaper published by the Gannett Company.

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