How Do I Identify an Rx Drug by Number?

Hundreds of prescription medications, otherwise known as Rx drugs, are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and available for sale in the United States. Drugs have small, unique identification numbers, sometimes on multiple sides. Knowing how to identify medications can save you time. It can also be a safety issue, since taking incorrect medications can be dangerous. Always check with your doctor before changing your medication regimen. If you have questions about how to take or store a particular medication or if you think your prescription may have been incorrectly filled, contact your pharmacy.

Instructions

• 1

  Set the Rx drug you want to identify on a well-lit and clean surface. Be careful not to get it wet, as it can deteriorate the pill and make the numbers unreadable.

• 2

  Look at the medication with a magnifying glass and write down the following information: numbers on any side, the shape of the medication and the color of the medication.

• 3

  Go to RxList's online pill identification tool and enter the information you wrote down. In the box for "Enter any imprint," put the numbers from either side of the medication. Do not put numbers from both sides.

• 4

  Match the results against the medication you have. There should be one clear match as the numbers are unique. If you have any further questions, especially if you think you've been given an incorrect medication, contact your pharmacy.