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Prior to this, the general assumption was that any drug which did not fall into a prescription schedule could be purchased without a prescription. [1] However, the needed definition had not been enacted by early 2018. The lack of a legal definition for OTC drugs has led to this US$4 billion market segment being effectively unregulated. [1]
Legend drugs must be dispensed with direct medical supervision, but over-the-counter drugs can be purchased and used without a prescription. The law also legalized verbal transmission of prescriptions and provided for the legal right of a pharmacist to refill prescriptions as indicated in a provider's initial prescription.
A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription.
Off-label use is the use of pharmaceutical drugs for an unapproved indication or in an unapproved age group, dosage, or route of administration. [1] Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) can be used in off-label ways, although most studies of off-label use focus on prescription drugs.
While commonly in the form of dietary supplements, nutraceuticals or energy drinks, [2] some nootropic compounds are prescription and non-prescription drugs in various countries. In the United States, nootropics are commonly advertised with unproven claims of effectiveness for improving cognition.
Although OTC drugs are generally regarded as safe for use without a prescription (by definition), medication errors still occur. For example, patients sometimes misuse OTC products by taking larger than recommended doses, in order to bring about symptomatic relief more quickly, or even intentionally abuse them for unlabeled indications. [ 4 ]
The prescription symbol, ℞, as printed on the blister pack of a prescription drug. A prescription, often abbreviated ℞ or Rx, is a formal communication from physicians or other registered healthcare professionals to a pharmacist, authorizing them to dispense a specific prescription drug for a specific patient.
Provincial and territorial government provide partial prescription drug coverage and the overall drug payment is a mix of public taxation, private insurance and out-of-pocket expenses. [4] [6] Insurance coverage differs regionally, although each public drug coverage plan must meet standards set by the federal government. [6]