Drug Information

Medicine and You

Have you ever had a problem with your medicines? You are not alone. There are so many things to keep track of. For example, you may have asked yourself:

When exactly should I take my medicine?
Is it safe to take my vitamins when I am taking a prescription medicine?
Now that I feel better, can I stop taking my medicine?

Let’s face it. Medicine is prescribed to help you. But it can hurt you if you take too much or mix medicines that don’t go together. Many people are harmed each year, some seriously, because of taking the wrong medicine or not taking the right medicines correctly.

Your Health Care Team

You can help get the best results by being a partner with your health care team. Your health care team includes:

Doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, or other professionals who prescribe your medicine for you or are in charge of your care.
Nurses who help with your care at home, a doctor’s office, or a hospital.

Pharmacists who fill your prescription and are available to answer questions about your

Four Ways To Play It Safe With Medicines

1. Give Your Health Care Team Important Information

Be a partner with your health care team. Tell them about:

All the medicines, vitamins, herbals, and dietary supplements you’re already taking. This includes:
- Prescription medicines.
- Medicines you can buy without a prescription, such as aspirin, antacids, laxatives, and cough medicine.
- Vitamins and dietary supplements, such as St. John’s Wort or gingko biloba.

Also be sure to tell your health care team:

If you have medicine allergies or if you have had problems when taking a medicine before.
About any other doctors or health care professionals who have prescribed medicine for you or suggested that you take a vitamin or herbal supplement.
If you are pregnant, may get pregnant, or are nursing a baby.
About any other illness or medical condition you have, like diabetes or high blood pressure.
If cost is a concern, there may be another medicine that costs less and will work the same.

2. Get the Facts About Your Medicine

Be Informed

Ask questions about every new prescription medicine. Get the answers you need from your health care team before you take your medicine.

Read the Prescription

If your doctor writes your prescription by hand, make sure you can read it. If you can’t read your doctor’s handwriting, your pharmacist might not be able to either. If your doctor submits your prescription to the pharmacy electronically, ask for a copy of the prescription.

Know What Your Medicine Is For

Ask your doctor to write down on the prescription what the medicine is used for…not just “take once a day” but “take once a day for high blood pressure.”

Ask Questions

If you have other questions or concerns:

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Write questions down ahead of time and bring them to your appointment.

3. Stay With Your Treatment Plan

Now that you have the right medicine, you’ll want to carry out the treatment plan. But that’s not always easy. The medicines may cause side effects. Or you may feel better and want to stop before finishing your medicines.

Take all the antibiotics you were prescribed. If you are taking an antibiotic to fight an infection, it is very important to take all of your medicine for as many days as your doctor prescribed, even if you feel better.
Ask your doctor if your prescription needs to be refilled. If you are taking medicine for high blood pressure or to lower your cholesterol, you may be using your medicine for a long time.
If you are having side effects or other concerns, tell your doctor. You may be able to take a different amount or type of medicine.
Your medicine was prescribed only for you. Never give your prescription medicine to somebody else or take prescription medicine that wasn’t prescribed for you, even if you have the same medical condition.

4. Keep a Record of Your Medicines

Keep track of your medicines, vitamins, and other dietary supplements by recording them on paper.

Visit its Web sites:

http://www.talkaboutrx.org
http://www.bemedwise.org

Or contact NCPIE at:

National Council on Patient Information and Education
4915 Saint Elmo Avenue, Suite 505
Bethesda, MD 20814-6082
Phone: (301) 656-8565
Fax: (301) 656-4464

Online Medicines Link to this topic below.

Buying Medicines and Medical Products Over the Internet.

Some medicines sold online:

are fake (counterfeit or “copycat” medicines)
are too strong or too weak
have dangerous ingredients
have expired (are out-of-date)
aren’t FDA-approved (haven’t been checked for safety and effectiveness)
aren’t made using safe standards
aren’t safe to use with other medicine or products you use
aren’t labeled, stored, or shipped correctly

KNOW YOUR SOURCE to make sure it’s safe

Make sure a website is a state-licensed pharmacy that is located in the United States. Pharmacies and pharmacists in the United States are licensed by a state’s board of pharmacy. Your state board of pharmacy can tell you if a website is a state-licensed pharmacy, is in good standing, and is located in the United States. Find a list of state boards of pharmacy on the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) website at www.nabp.info.

The NABP is a professional association of the state boards of pharmacy. It has a program to help you find some of the pharmacies that are licensed to sell medicine online. Internet websites that display the seal of this program have been checked to make sure they meet state and federal rules. For more on this program and a list of pharmacies that display the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites^TM Seal, (VIPPS^® Seal), go to www.vipps.info.

Look for websites with practices that protect you

A safe website should:

1. be located in the United States and licensed by the state board of pharmacy where the website is operating (check www.nabp.info for a list of state boards of pharmacy)
2. have a licensed pharmacist to answer your questions
3. require a prescription from your doctor or other health care professional who is licensed in the United States to write prescriptions for medicine
4. have a way for you to talk to a person if you have problems

BE SURE YOUR PRIVACY IS PROTECTED

Look for privacy and security policies that are easy-to-find and easy-to-understand.

Don’t give any personal information (such as social security number, credit card, or medical or health history), unless you are sure the website will keep your information safe and private.

Make sure that the site will not sell your information, unless you agree.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Report websites you are not sure of, or if you have complaints about a site.

Go to www.fda.gov/buyonline and click on “Notify FDA about problem websites.”

Buying your medicine online can be easy. Just make sure you do it safely

Use this link on this webpage: Click here for a great guide to managing medicines as you age. http://media.shs.net/asyouage/asyouagebrochure01.pdf

This is a link called Generic Drugs, it opens to this page.

Generic drugs

If you could buy the same quality product for less money, would you do it? Of course. When it comes to prescription drugs, the same approach applies.

What is a generic?

A generic drug is manufactured and sold by a company other than the company that originally created it or the original patent-holder. For example, the company that developed acetaminophen gave it the brand name Tylenol®. When the patent on Tylenol expired, other companies started to make the generic version. Although generic drugs are chemically the same as brand-name drugs, they are typically sold for much less money than the brand-name drug.

Not all brand-name drugs have a generic equivalent available. That’s why it’s important to ask your doctor. If there’s a generic available, your doctor can prescribe it instead of the brand-name drug. Of course, depending on certain circumstances, your doctor may feel the brand-name drug is the most appropriate medication for you, instead of an available generic. Talk with your doctor to find out what’s best for you.

Is a generic drug as safe and effective as a brand-name drug?

Yes. Unlike some “generic” products on the market like paper goods or groceries, generic drugs must meet the rigorous standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In fact, any generic drug brought to market must be identical or “bioequivalent,” to its brand-name counterpart in dosage form, safety, quality, performance, strength and usage.

Will a generic drug take longer to work once I take it?

No. Generic drugs must deliver the same amount of active ingredient in the same timeframe as the brand-name drug. Once you take it, it works just the same way as a brand-name drug.

How can generics cost less?

They do not require the same costly research, development, sales and marketing investment as brand-name drugs. While brand-name drugs are under patent (typically 20 years), the original drug developer recoups costs by charging more. When the patent expires, other makers may begin producing and selling the drug using the generic name. Generic manufacturers must comply with the same federal quality standards as brand-name manufacturers.

What about generic drug side effects?

All drugs – brand name or generic – have the potential for side effects. The active ingredients in a generic must be the same as the brand-name drug; inactive ingredients such as flavors and preservatives may differ. Side effects may vary based on these differences. The FDA has found no difference overall in side effects between generic and brand name drugs.

Why aren’t all my prescriptions for generic drugs?

Not all drugs have a generic equivalent available. Also, your doctor may feel that, depending on certain circumstances, the brand-name drug is the most appropriate medication for you.

Do generic drugs look different from brand-name drugs?

Yes. For legal reasons, a generic drug is different from the brand-name drug in size, color and shape to distinguish it from the brand-name drug.

Am I missing out on newer and better drugs if I take a generic?

Only your doctor can advise you on whether a new drug can more effectively treat a condition. In many cases, generic drugs remain the doctor’s first choice even when new drugs appear on the market. Talking with your doctor about your prescriptions is always the best course of action.