Prescription Medicine Identification

Contributor

By Demetria Jackson
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (0 Ratings)

Finding a single, stray pill in an unexpected place, such as the bottom of a purse, under the bed or in the nightstand drawer is not an unusual occurrence. Finding an unidentified pill in a teen's belongings can be a cause for concern. Any unknown prescription medicine should be identified prior to being administered to anyone. A call to the pharmacist or physician or an online search can help identify the pill in question.

Significance

Taking a prescription drug without knowing its identity and purpose can be dangerous. Any unidentified prescription medicine should be discarded appropriately.

Features

Prescription medication can be identified by size, shape and color. Having this information will help to narrow down the possibilities.

Identification

Prescription drug manufacturers will often add other unique features to make identification easier. There may be numbers, words or other imprints on the medicine.

Benefits

Being able to identify medication can be important when filling or refilling a prescription as mistakes can be made. Most pharmacies provide a printout that includes information on prescription-medicine identification.

Considerations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all pills and tablets bear imprints to aid in visual identification of a prescription medicine. Any new drug that does not meet this requirement will not be approved by the FDA.