Veerpal Kaur Assistant Professor Department of Pharmaceutics ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga

1. The Prescription
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2. Name: Veerpal Kaur
Designation: Assistant Professor
Department: Pharmaceutics
E-mail: vkaur013@gmail.com
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3. CONTENTS
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 Definition of Prescription
 Parts of Prescription
 Handling of Prescription
 Modern Methods of Prescribing
 Care Required in Dispensing Prescription
 Sources of Error in Prescription

4. The Prescription
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 A prescription is a written order from a registered medicinal practitioner
to pharmacist to compound and dispenses a specific medication for the
patient.
What does prescription includes
Patient
details
Directions for
the pharmacist
to prepare and
dispense the
medicament.
Directions for
the patient
regarding
administration
of drugs.
 The prescriptions are generally written
in the english language but latin words
or abbreviations are frequently used in
order to save time.
 Prescription is actually a direct link
between physician, pharmacist &
patient.
 Prescription is accompanied by
direction for pharmacist and for patient.

5. Parts of Prescription
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Parts of
Prescription
Heading
Date
Personal data of patient
Body
Closing
Signatura
Renewal
instructions
Signature, address and registration
number of the prescriber
Superscription
Inscription
Subscription

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1. Heading
a) Date:
 Every prescription must bear the date on which the particular medicines are
prescribed.
 This helps the pharmacist to keep day-day Patient’s record in chronologic
order which helps the pharmacist or a physician to refer the old case in future.
 To avoid misuse of the narcotic or other habitat forming drugs containing
prescriptions by the patient a number of times for dispensing.
b) Name, Age, Sex and Address of the patient:
 Name, Age, Sex and Address of the patient must be written on the prescription
because it serves to identify the prescription.
 In case, if any of this information is missing in the prescription, the same may
be included by the pharmacist after proper enquiry from the patient.
 Also used in dose calculation of children.

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2. Body
a) Superscription:
 This part of the prescription is represented by Rx symbol. It is Latin word. It
means you take.
 In older days, the symbol was considered to be originated from the sign of
Jupiter, the God of healing for the fast recovery of the patient.
 Now a days it is used as a abbreviation for the Latin term “Take Thou”
which means “you take” god of healing.
b) Inscription:
 This is the main part of the prescription order, contains the names and
quantities of the prescribed ingredients.
 The name of each ingredient is written on a separate line along with its
quantity.

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In complex prescription in divided into following parts
i. Base:- the active medicaments which are intended to produced the
therapeutic effect.
ii. Adjuvant:- it is included either to enhance the action of medicament or to
improve the palatability of the preparation.
iii. Vehicle:- it is included in the prescription either to dissolve the solid
ingredients or to increase the volume of the preparation.
 Nowadays, the majority of the drugs are prescribed which are already
in a suitable formulation.
 The pharmacist is required to dispense the readymade from of drugs.
So, compounding of prescription is almost eliminated.

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ISF College of Pharmacy, MOGA 9
c) Subscription:
 This part of the prescription contains directions of the prescriber to the
pharmacist regarding the type and compounding of dosage form along
with number of doses to be dispensed.
 This is important because dose of drug also depends on the type of the
dosage form.
3. Closing
a) Signatura: This consists of the direction to be given to the patient
regarding the administration of drug.
 It is usually written as ‘Sig’ on the prescription.
 The instructions given in the prescription are required to be
transferred to the container in which the medicament is to be
dispensed, so that the patient can follow it.

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 The instruction may include:
i. The quantity to be taken or amount to be used.
ii. The frequency and timing of administration or application.
iii. The rout of administration.
iv. The special instruction such as dilution direction.
b) Renewal instructions:
 In this part, the prescriber whether the prescription can be renewed or
not.
 It also should include the specifications like how many times it can be
renewed.
 It is of utmost importance incase of narcotic/other habitat forming
drugs.

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c) Signature, Address and Regd. No. of the prescriber:
 The signature and Regd. No. of the prescriber turns the prescription into
legal and authentic order to the pharmacist.
 This helps in preventing the use of spurious drugs.
 Regd. no is of utmost importance in prescription containing narcotic
drugs and habbit forming drugs.
Latin Terms
Used in
Prescription
Meaning Latin Terms
Used in
Prescription
Meaning Latin Terms
Used in
Prescription
Meaning
Agita Shake Misce Mix Ter quotidie Three times a day
Auristillae Ear drops More dicto As directed Quotidie Daily
Collunarium Nose wash Nebula A spray Statim Immediately
Congius A gallon Omni hora Every hour Utendus To be used
Ex. aqua With water Post cibos After meals t.i.d. (ter in die) 3 times a day
Hora somni At bed time Quaque
quarta hora
Every fourth hour Pro dosi As a dose
Levis Left Sumendus To be taken Post cibos After meals

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13. Handling of a Prescription
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 The following steps are to be followed during handling of a prescription
for compounding and dispensing:
1.
• Receiving
2.
• Reading and Checking
3.
• Dose Calculation
4.
• Collecting and Weighing the material
5.
• Compounding, Labeling and Packaging

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1. Receiving:
 The prescription should be revised from the patient by the pharmacist
himself.
 While receiving a prescription, a pharmacist should not change his
facial expression which gives an impression to the patient that he is
surprised or confused after seeing the prescription.
2. Reading and Checking:
 On receiving the prescription the pharmacist should check the
prescription whether it is written in a proper format.
 The prescription should always be screened behind the counter.
 Any doubts in case of prescription ingredients or drugs and directions
he should discuss with another senior pharmacist or physician but not
with the patient.

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 What to check in a prescription… ?
 Error in dosage
 Wrong drug or dosage form
 Contra indicated drugs
 Synergistic and Antagonistic drugs
 Drug interactions
3. Dosage calculation:
 A child dosage form is calculated by Young’s Formula:
 Clark’s Formula:

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4. Collecting and weighing the material:
 Before compounding the prescription, all the materials required for it,
should be collected on the left hand side of the balance.
 After weighing the material it should be shifted to right hand side of
the balance.
 This gives a check of ingredients which have been weighed.
 While compounding the label of every stock bottle should be read at
least 3times in order avoid any error.
i. When taken from the shelf or drawer.
ii. When the contents removed for weighing and measuring.
iii. When the containers are returned back to its proper place.

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5. Compounding, labeling and packaging:
 compounding should be carried out in a neat place.
 All the equipment etc... Required should be thoroughly cleaned and
dried.
 Only 1 prescription should be compounded at one time.
 The compounded medicament should be filled in suitable
containers depending on its quantity and use.
 The filled containers are labeled suitably. White plain paper of good
quality should be used for labeling the container.
 The container is polished so as to remove the figure prints. While
delivering the prescription to the patient, the pharmacist should
explain the mode of administration, direction for use, and storage.

18. Modern Methods of Prescribing
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 Nowadays, majority of the drugs are available in the market as ready-
made formulations.
 Nowadays the role of pharmacist is to hand over the ready made
formulations to the patients & provide advice if demanded.
 In the present day the prescription should be accurate, clear & easily
readable & as far as possible, the Latin terms should be avoided.
 Now, the drugs should be prescribed by its official (generic) names or
trade names.
 There are certain advantages and disadvantages of prescribing the
drugs by its proprietary name, which are as under…

19. Advantages
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1. It’s easy to remember proprietary because they are very catchy.
2. It is easy to communicate with the patient.
3. The continuity can be maintained by prescribing the same proprietary
name every time.
4. The bioavailability of drugs change with the change of adjutants used
in drugs formulation manufacture by different manufactures. So only
those proprietary drugs can be prescribed which have a better
bioavailability.

20. Disadvantages
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1. It is cheaper to prescribe the drugs by its official name.
2. It becomes difficult for a pharmacist to dispense the substitute of the
drug which is available in the stock.
 There are 4 types of prescriptions which are generally received by
the retail drug store
I. Prescription in general practice.
II. Private prescription.
III. Hospital prescription meant for ‘out patients’.
IV. Hospital prescription meant for ‘in patient’.

21. Care Required in Dispensing
Prescription
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Following precaution should be taken while dispensing a prescription.
1) Always keep the prescription before you. Take the prescription with
you while taking out the medicine from the shelf. It will serve as a
constant reminder of the name and strength of the preparation
required and helps to avoid mistakes.
2) Always check the dispensing balance before weighing the
ingredients which are required and help to avoid mistakes.

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3) Replace containers of stock preparation or drugs in their proper
position after use.
4) Keep the label in upper position during weighing solid ingredients
especially the potent drugs such as morphine hydrochloride to serve
as a constant reminder that the correct drug is being used.
5) When pouring or measuring the liquid ingredients, keep the label
upward in order to prevent surplus running down of the bottle and
staining the label.
6) Care should be taken to keep the dispensing balance clean. The
powder should be transferred from the stock container by using a
clean spatula. The scale pan should be cleaned immediately after
use.

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7) Medicines which are uses externally such as lotions, liniments,
paints, etc...Should be supplied in vertically fluted or fibbed bottles
in order to distinguish it by touch. They must be labeled in red or
against a red background.
8) Before handing over the medicine to the paints, again check that the
correct preparation, in the correct strength, has been supplied and
correct direction has been stated on the label.

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25. SOUECES OF ERROR IN
PRESCRIPTION
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1. Abbreviation:
 Abbreviation presents a problem in understanding parts of the
prescription order.
 Extreme care should be taken by a pharmacist in interpreting the
Abbreviation. Pharmacists should not guess at the meaning of an
ambiguous Abbreviation.
2. Name of the drug:
 There are certain drugs whose name look or sound like those of other
drugs. Some of the example of such drugs is as under: - Digitoxin and
Digoxin.

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3. Strength of preparation:
 The strength of the preparation should be stated by the prescriber. It
is essential when various strengths of a product are available in
market.
4. Dosage form of the drug prescribed:
 Many medicines are available in more than one dosage form like as
liquid, tablet, capsule, etc...
5. Dose:
 Unusually high or low doses should be discussed with the
prescriber. Pediatric dosage may present. So pharmacist should
consult pediatric posology to avoid an error.
 Sometime a reasonable dose is administered too frequently.

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6. Instructions for the patient:
 The instructions for the patient which are given in the prescription
are incomplete or omitted.
 The quantity of the drug to be taken, the frequent and timing of
administration and route of administration should be clearly given in
the prescription so as to avoid any confusion.
7. Incompatibilities:
 It is essential to check that there are no pharmaceutical or
therapeutic incompatibilities in a prescribed preparation and that
different medicines prescribed for the same patient do not interact
with each other to produce any harm to patient.
 Certain antibiotics should not be given with meals since it
significantly decrease the absorption of the drug.

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