CHAPTER III

Prescription
MARY-ANN SAPNU, RPH, MSC
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, the students will be able to:
• Review the completeness of the prescription
• Check the availability of medicine
• Validate the appropriateness of the prescription
Important
Terms
Prescription
Refer to medicines which can only be dispensed by a pharmacist to a patient,
upon the presentation of a valid prescription from a physician, dentist, or
veterinarian and for which a pharmacist's advice is necessary;

Generic Prescribing
is prescribing of drugs and medicines using their generic name(s) or generic
terminology.
Dispensing
is the act by a validly‐registered pharmacist of filling a prescription or doctor's
order on the patient's chart

Generic Dispensing
means dispensing the patient's/buyer's choice from among the generic
equivalent i.e., finished pharmaceutical products having the same active
ingredient(s), same dosage form and same strength as the prescribed drug.
Who can write prescriptions
in the Philippines?
Prescription
and its parts
 name of prescriber office address

patient's/ client's name

age and sex date of prescription

Rx sign Drug Information

professional
registration number,
MD’s instructions
professional tax
receipt number

MD’s signature
Superscription
• Information about the prescriber.
• Information about the patient.
• Rx (it means ‘take it!’)
 name of prescriber office address

patient's/ client's name

age and sex date of prescription

Rx sign Drug Information

professional
registration number,
MD’s instructions
professional tax
receipt number

MD’s signature
Inscription
• Inscription gives the information about the name of the
drug (generic or trade name), and its formulation, unit
dosage.
 name of prescriber office address

patient's/ client's name

age and sex date of prescription

Rx sign Drug Information

professional
registration number,
MD’s instructions
professional tax
receipt number

MD’s signature
Subscription
• Subscription provides information to the pharmacists
about the quantity and dosage form of the drug to be
dispensed
 name of prescriber office address

patient's/ client's name

age and sex date of prescription

Rx sign Drug Information

professional
registration number,
MD’s instructions
professional tax
receipt number

MD’s signature
Transcription
• Transcription is the prescribers direction to the patient
contains instruction about the amount of drug, time and
frequency of doses to be taken.
 name of prescriber office address

patient's/ client's name

age and sex date of prescription

Rx sign Drug Information

professional
registration number,
MD’s instructions
professional tax
receipt number

MD’s signature
 Guidelines in
Prescribing
based on Prior Laws
R.A. 2382 or the Medical Act of 1959,
R.A. 4419 or the Dental Act,
R.A. 382 or the Veterinary Act.
• Only validly‐registered medical, dental and veterinary
practitioners, whether in private practice or employed in
a private institution/corporation or in the government,
are authorized to prescribe drugs.
 R.A. 5921, or the Pharmacy Act
• All prescriptions must contain the following information:
name of prescriber, office address, professional
registration number, professional tax receipt number,
patient's/ client's name, age and sex, and date of
prescription.
 R.A. 5921, or the Pharmacy Act
• For drugs in the list of Prohibited Drugs and Regulated
Drugs as approved by the Dangerous Drugs Board
(DDB), the following are required:
oThe prescriber must have an S‐2 license.
oThe special DDB prescription form must be used.
oA recording system following pertinent DDB regulations
must be observed.
R.A. 6675 or Generics Act of 1988
• Generic names shall be used in all prescriptions
• The generic name must be written in full but the salt or
chemical form may be abbreviated.
• The generic name of the drug must be clearly written on
the prescription immediately after the Rx symbol, or on
the order chart.
R.A. 6675 or Generics Act of 1988
• In addition to the generic name, a brand name may
also be indicated. In such cases, the following shall be
observed:
– If written on a prescription pad, the brand name enclosed
in parenthesis shall be written below the generic name.
– If written on a patient's chart, the brand name enclosed
in parenthesis shall be written after the generic name.
R.A. 6675 or Generics Act of 1988
• In prescribing drugs enumerated in List B (Annex B)
which needs strict precaution in their use, the prescriber
must comply with the following:
– After the Rx symbol but before the generic name, he must
write clearly "(List B)". A recording system following
pertinent DDB regulations must be observed.
R.A. 6675 or Generics Act of 1988
– He must ensure that the following information are
accurately written on the prescription:
• The generic name of the active ingredient(s) and the specific salt
or chemical form.
• The manufacturer
• The brand name, if so desired
• The strength or dose level using units of the metric system
• The delivery mode or delivery system: quick‐dissolve,
sustained release, etc. and the corresponding appropriate
dose frequency or dose interval
T h r e e Ty p e s o f
Unethical
Prescription
Violative Prescriptions
• Where generic name is not written
• Where the generic name is not legible and a brand
name which is legible is written
• Where the brand name is indicated and instructions
added (such as the phrase "no substitution") which tend
to obstruct, hinder or prevent proper generic dispensing
 • Violative prescriptions shall not be
filled.
• They shall be kept and reported
What to do by the pharmacist of the drug
outlet or any other interested
with party to the nearest DOH Office
violative for appropriate action.
Rx? • The pharmacist shall advise the
prescriber of the problem and/or
instruct the customer to get the
proper prescription.
Erroneous Prescriptions
• Where the brand name precedes the generic name
• Where the generic name is the one in parenthesis
• Where the brand name is not in parenthesis
• Where more than one drug product is prescribed on
one prescription form
 • Erroneous prescriptions shall be
filled.
What to do • Such prescription shall also be
with kept and reported by the
erroneous pharmacist of the drug outlet or
Rx? any other interested party to the
nearest DOH Office for
appropriate action.
Impossible Prescriptions
• When only the generic name is written but it is not
legible
• When the generic name does not correspond to the
brand name
• When both the generic name and the brand name are
not legible
• When the drug product prescribed is not registered with
the BFAD
 • Impossible prescriptions shall not be
filled.
• They shall be kept and reported by the
What to do pharmacist of the drug outlet or any
with other interested party to the nearest
impossible DOH Office for appropriate action.
Rx? • The pharmacist shall advise the
prescriber of the problem and/or
instruct the customer to get the proper
prescription.
Abbreviations used in
Prescription and
Medication Order
Writing
NEXT ACTIVITY
• Prescription Game (equivalent to a Quiz)
• Look alike and sound alike drugs (LASA)
• Strategies in handling LASA drugs