Introduction of prescription

Prescription is an order written by an Physician , Dentist  or any other registered medical practitioner to a pharmacist to com pound and dispen se a specific medication for the patient . It is also accompanied with the directions for the patient that how much medicament is to be taken , how many times it is to be taken and how it is to be taken .

           It is the duty of the pharmacist to serve gthe medication needs of the patient according to the intension of the prescriber .

      The prescriptions are generally written in the language of the area in which they originate but Latin words are frequently used in the oprescription writing because in  the older days the medicines were written in Latin language which was understood all over the world .

      Parts of the prescription

A complete prescription should have the following steps : -

i)                   Date

ii)                Name , Age , Sex , Address of the patient

iii)              Subscription

iv)               Inscription

v)                  Superscription

vi)               Signature , address and Registration  number of the prescriber

Date :  Date must be written on the prescription by the prescriber at same time when it is written . The date on the prescription helps a pharmacist to find-out that causes where prescription is brought for dispensing long time after its issue .

Name , Age , Sex and Address of the patient  :  Name , Age , Sex , Address of the patient  must be written on the prescription abut these particulars and put down at the top of the prescription .

      Age , Sex of the patient specially in the case of children , that helps the pharmacist in checking the medication and dosage .

Superscription :  The superscription represented by a symbol Rx  . In the days of mythology and superstition the symbol was considered as a prayer to Jupital , God of Healing . It is a Latin word meaning ( Take-thou ) or ( You – Take ) .

Inscription :  This is the main part of the prescription . It contains the name and quantities of the prescriber ingredient . The name of the ingredients are written each on the separate line , followed by the quantity ordered and the last item written in generally the  vehcle or diluent .

Subscription : The part of the prescription contains prescriber’s directions to the pharmacist regarding the dosage form to be prepared and number opf dosage to be dispensed .

Signature :  It is usually abbreviated as “ Sig “ on the prescription and consist of the directions to be given to the patient , regarding the administration of the drug . It usually indicates the quantity of medicament or number or dosage unit to be taken .

Signature , address and Registration  number of the prescriber :  All other parts of the prescription may be printed or type-written but the prescriber’s name must be hand-written and should be signed with ink .