English for Pharmacists & Drugstore Customers: Vocabulary Exercise 1

📚 Pharmacy vocabulary
Prescription — a written order from a doctor authorizing a patient to receive a specific medication.
Over-the-counter (OTC) — medicine you can buy without a prescription, directly off the shelf.
Dosage — the amount of a medicine to be taken and how frequently (e.g. twice a day, every 8 hours).
Generic drug — a lower-cost version of a brand-name medication that contains the same active ingredients.
Drug interaction — a reaction that occurs when two or more medications affect each other, sometimes dangerously.
Contraindication — a medical reason why a particular drug should not be used (e.g. an allergy, or a conflicting condition).
Dispense — to prepare and officially give out a medication to a patient.
Expiration date — the date printed on a package after which a medication should no longer be used.
Co-pay — the fixed amount a patient pays out of pocket for a prescription after their insurance covers the rest.
Pharmacist — a licensed healthcare professional trained to prepare, dispense, and advise on medications.