What are the Two Legal Classifications of Medication?

by Sue

What are two broad legal classifications of medications in community(retail) pharmacy?



ANSWER from PTR:

In the US, there are only two legal classifications of drugs/drug products.

The two classes are products which are not-prescription and products which are prescription only. Prescription only medications are only available with written directions (written, faxed, electronic, or phoned) from a licensed prescriber to a pharmacist.

Prescription drugs are also known as “legend” medications. The word “Legend” in this case means that state and federal law requires all original prescription medication packaging to bear a “legend” on them, barring its sale unless a prescription is obtained from a prescriber.

This is why the packaging of prescription medications say on them, “Rx Only”. The packaging may say instead: “Caution: Federal Law Prohibits Dispensing this Drug Without a Prescription.”

This packaging comes directly from the drug manufacturer to the pharmacy’s wholesaler.

How are drugs manufactured? I talk about this process on https://www.pharmacy-tech-resources.com/Drug-Development.html There you will find more information about the role of the Food and Drug Administration in the US and how New Drug Applications are reviewed and/or how generic drugs are developed and brought to the marketplace.

What is a Prescription? https://www.pharmacy-tech-resources.com/what-is-a-prescription.html This page goes into great detail describing what a prescription is and the components which make up a legitimate prescription.

What about Prescription Forgeries? Visit https://www.pharmacy-tech-resources.com/Prescription-Forgeries.html