Those with the word OTC on the drug packaging box are over-the-counter drugs, and those without the words OTC are prescription drugs. Details: Prescription drugs refer to drugs that can be obtained from pharmacies or pharmacies with a doctor's prescription and must be used under the supervision or guidance of a doctor. Internationally, it is usually represented by Prescription Drug., abbreviated as R (that is, the R commonly seen in the upper left corner of a doctor's prescription).
Prescription drugs generally include: new drugs that have just been launched: their activity and side effects need to be further observed; certain drugs that can cause dependence: such as morphine analgesics and some hypnotic and tranquillizing drugs; drugs The drugs themselves are highly toxic: such as anti-cancer drugs; certain diseases must be diagnosed by doctors and laboratories, and the use of drugs requires a doctor's prescription and must be used under the guidance of a doctor, such as cardiovascular disease drugs.
Over-the-counter drugs
As opposed to prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs refer to drugs that consumers can buy directly from pharmacies or pharmacies without a doctor's prescription. Commonly used international terms are: Nonprescription Drug, Over the Counter Drug, abbreviated as OTC Drug, which has now become an international idiom for the abbreviation of over-the-counter drugs. Most of these drugs belong to the following conditions: colds, fevers, coughs; digestive system diseases; headaches; joint diseases; allergies such as rhinitis; nutritional supplements, such as vitamins, certain Chinese medicine supplements, etc.
How to distinguish prescription drugs from over-the-counter drugs
Brands, logos, labels and terms containing OTC guidance
Internationally, over-the-counter drugs have different brands and logos Your own unique symbol, such as the brand, should be unified as much as possible, while focusing on continuous innovation to increase visibility so that it can be sold in chain stores, and at the same time, use the brand as a measure to protect your own products. The label should be able to clearly distinguish whether the drug is used as a prescription drug or an over-the-counter drug. For example, prescription drugs in the United States must be marked with "Federal Law Prohibits Dispensing Without Prescription", while the label of over-the-counter drugs should be marked with "Adapted to... "Adequate Direction for use" (Adequate Direction for use), the UK, Germany, Japan and other countries also have similar words or logos. Inspection labels should be expressed in words that normal people can understand, and even illustrated, so that consumers can use over-the-counter drugs correctly based on the labels. The seven items of content proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for OTC drug labels are: (1) product name; (2) name and address of manufacturer, packager or distributor; (3) package contents; (4) all valid The INN (International Generic Name) name of the ingredient; (5) The content of certain other components such as ethanol, alkaloids, etc.; (6) Precautions and advisory content to protect consumers; (7) Safety and correctness Use appropriate medication instructions for this medicine. Therefore, when people identify over-the-counter drugs, they can generally identify them from their brands, logos, labels, and terms containing OTC guidance.