Prescription Writing

Prescription is the written order of the practitioner to the pharmacist. Which contain, the names and the quantities of drugs, methods of compounding and dispensing and method of administration of medicine. Also contains instructions relating to diet and other particulars.

Prescriptions are usually written in Latin language for the following reasons.

1. To keep some sort of secrecy.
2. To avoid self medication.
3. Latin, since dead language does not change in meaning with time and place.
4. Scientific nomenclature of plants and animals are in Latin and is names of drugs too.

Typical prescription consists of following parts.
1. Date.
2. Name and address of owner and description of animal.
3. Superscription.
4. Inscription.
5. Subscription.
6. Signature (signa).
7. Prescribers name.

1. Date: Date on which prescription is written should be put on top right hand side or along with initials of prescriber. Date on prescription will help in assessing the beginning of the treatment, interval of repeating drugs, duration of treatment especially narcotic drugs and that of dispensing. it is also important from legal point of view as it tells when the treatment has began and at what stage of disease
2. Name and address of owner and description of animal: It is important to facilitate handling and to avoid confusion among prescription meant for some other patient.
Age of patient is important particularly in case of young patient as dose is different. If the age is not mentioned then it is understood that it is for adult patient.
3. Superscription: This is written as a symbol Rx. This is derived from letters R and J. The expanded Latin word for R is ‘recipe’ means “take thou of”. This gives instructions to the pharmacist to take prescription as such (no alterations to be made). The letter J stands for an invocation of physician to the Roman god of healing Jupiter. So it means asking the Roman god Jupiter for help in making the prescription effective in cure of disease.
4. Inscription: It is the main body of prescription .It contains the name of drugs and their quantities. Abbreviations should be avoided since they are likely to results in errors. The name of each drug is placed as separate line, and first letter is capital. The inscriptions may be simple and complex.
Simple: Consists of main drug and vehicle.
Complex: If there is more than one ingredient than it is divided into four parts and they
should follow this order.
a. Basis: Main active drug of the prescription with which the disease cures.
b. Adjuvant: Agent which has a complementary effect and enhances or assists in the action of the basis.
c. Corrective: Substance which counter or modifies any undesirable action of the basis and or adjuvant.
d. Vehicle(s): It is an inert substance which converts medicine into a suitable form administration in a more pleasant way. Vehicles have the properties like 1) Increasing of bulk and diluting active ingredient 2) Act as a solvent for soluble drugs and suspends insoluble drugs 3) May mask the unpleasant odor and taste.

5. Subscription: This part contains directions to the pharmacist during compounding of drugs. It contains the form of medicine, its preparation quantity to be sent and the manner of sending, Latin abbreviations and terms are used.
6. Signature (signa): It’s a Latin word symbolized by abbreviation signa means let it be labeled. It is there for instructions to the dispenser in all details to appear on label as directions to the owner. This part is written in either in English or local language and it has to be labeled on the container of the dispensed product by the pharmacist. This usually includes method of administration, time of administration, dose and any other additional information.
7. Prescriber’s name and address: This includes initial address, qualification and registration number of the prescriber. This part makes the prescriber is responsible for any damage in health to the patient as a result of his own wrong or illegal prescription or omission of instructions.