Prescription drugs, OTC drugs and those in between

Difference between prescription-only drugs, drugs you can buy over the counter (OTC)  and all those in between (it's a blurred line).

***please note, drugs means substances that are classified as medicine by the pharmaceutical boards and sold as such, and are meant to heal or bring about relief, NOT supplements or herbs....or joints****

Prescription drugs are those drugs which you CANNOT purchase without a written doctor's recommendation, nor can you get a refill without the written recommendation.
On the other hand, OTC (over-the-counter) drugs are those which you may purchase without a written recommendation. These include pain killers, cough syrups, fever medicine and the like.

Prescription drugs are usually defined by the medical board/pharmaceutical and poisons board of a particular country. Most countries usually share the same rules when declaring prescription medicine, although what may be strictly prescription in one country, may be OTC in another eg opiate painkillers like Syndol or Betapyn.

Most of the rules that dictate the availability of a drug usually hover around the issues of drug dependency, as well as possible side effects of the drug. A good example is Cytotec (misoprostol), which should never be sold without a prescription. The drug is indicated for treatment of advanced stomach ulcers, but a side effect is labour induction, thus miscarriage. Such a drug may be life-threatening even with a single dose if used unknowingly/unwisely by an expectant lady, therefore the physician who prescribes it must be fully aware of the patient's health and reproductive status (ie, pregnancy.. or not).
Most OTC drugs pose a very small risk unless a very large dose is used at once, and its impossible to obtain such doses (unless you run a registered clinic!!). Some of these drugs pose dependency risks when used over a long while. The dependency issues are however mild and can be overcome once the drug use is discontinued. These include cough syrups with opiates eg codeine. However, most of these drugs are usually costly, so it would be hard to form a habit due to the prices.

When planning to travel abroad, always carry your supply of medicine; if you are on prescription drugs, get a refill before traveling. Otherwise, if you are on short term treatment eg allergy or use eye-drops, also be sure to purchase before traveling. This is because some of the drugs may be unavailable in emergency cases, unless you check-in to the casualty department of a local hospital, which may be costly and time-consuming.
Till next time, much love,,

This is Serenity!!

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