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Drug Identification Regulations

Identifying different drugs helps prevent medication errors that can be harmful to patients. Regulations are put in place to help simplify drug identification. Factors such as appearance, chemical, brand and generic names for medications assist individual in identifying each drug. The Federal Drug Adminstration determines, in conjunction with drug companies, what specifications will be required for drug identification and production.

  1. Appearance

    • Appearance is one way to identify drugs. Medications that are available in different dosages use different colors to help identify one another. Pills are made in different shapes and sizes that also help determine their identity. Drugs often have a specific reference number, dosage or name printed on one or both sides of the pill to identify it.

    Chemical Name

    • Chemical names are used to identify drugs. These names may include each chemical used to create the drug. Some medications may be comprised of the same chemicals, in different amounts, making it more difficult to identify using just the chemical name. Chemical names are often used as a reference point for information regarding the drug.

    Brand and Generic Names

    • Brand names are often assigned to drugs when developed by the drug companies. Brand name drugs often have government patents that prevent the exact chemical makeup of the drug from being reproduced by another company. Generic names are often given to medications that are produced by companies other than the original creator after a certain period of time. The FDA recognizes the US Adopted Names Council's skill in deriving names for drugs.

    FDA

    • The FDA states that certain specifications must be met during drug production, marketing and distribution. For example, for marketing purposes it recommends that the labeling of the drug should bear its established name and if the drug is comprised of two or more chemicals, the name of each active ingredient. During production the FDA states that dosages should be imprinted onto the drug, which can help prevent errors during distribution. It can also be another way to help identify the medication.

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