Practical lesson drugs and awareness (2 hours) Text: Tashkent (Speaking, revision) drugs and awareness

PRESCRIPTION AND NONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS
By law, drugs are divided into two categories: prescription drugs and nonprescription drugs. Prescription drugs - those considered safe for use only under medical supervision - may be dispensed only with a written prescription from a licensed professional (for example, a phy­sician, dentist, or veterinarian). Nonprescription drugs - those considered safe for use without medical supervision - are sold over the counter without a prescription.

After many years of use under prescription reg­ulation, drugs with excellent safety records may be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for over-the-counter sale. The pain-relieving drug ibuprofen is one former prescription drug now available over the counter. Often, the amount of active ingredient in each (tablet, capsule, or caplet of a drug approved for over-the-counter sale is substantially lower than the amount in a dose of the drug available by prescription.

While the patent is in effect, the drug is a proprietary drug. A generic (non-proprietary) drug is not protected by patent. After the patent expires, the drug can be legally marketed under the generic name by any FDA-approved manufac­turer or vendor, but the original holder of the copyright still controls the rights to the drug's trade name. Generic versions are usually sold at lower prices than the original drug.
Drug Names

Some understanding of how drugs are named can help in deciphering drug product labels. Every proprietary drug has at least three names - a chemical name, a generic (non-proprietary) name, and a trade (proprietary or brand) name.

The chemical name describes the atomic or molecular structure of the drug. Although the chemical name describes and identifies the prod­uct precisely, it's usually too complex and cum­bersome for general use, except in the case of some simple, inorganic drugs such as sodium bicarbonate.

The generic name is as­signed by an official body. The trade name is chosen by the pharmaceutical company that manufactures it. The company tries to choose a unique name that's short and easy to remember so doctors will prescribe it and consumers will look for it by name. For this reason, trade names sometimes link the drug to its intended use, for example, Diabinese for diabetes and Flexeril for muscle cramps.

The FDA requires that generic versions of drugs have the same active ingredients as the original and that they be absorbed into the body at the same rate. The manufacturer of a generic version may or may not decide to give the drug its own trade name, depending on whether it thinks its "branded" version will sell better.