Understanding and following your prescription

What are we talking about?

A prescription formalises a treatment adapted to a precise situation. Following it correctly is part of care safety.

WHO highlights medicine safety: understanding what you take reduces preventable errors.

What you may observe

Check on the prescription and on the box: the medicine name, strength, number of doses per day, duration, and any special mentions (before/after meals).

Make sure the medicine dispensed matches what was prescribed (same substance, same strength).

Good practices

Ask your questions at the time of dispensing. Note the dosing schedule on a simple support if needed.

Keep the prescription and leaflets for the duration of treatment; do not mix tablets outside their original packaging without a reliable method.

What to avoid

Avoid sharing your treatment, keeping some “for later” beyond the planned duration, or restarting an old antibiotic without a new assessment.

Avoid changing the dose on your own because you feel better or worse.

Medicines: what you need to know

Some medicines have a narrow safety margin. Others require a full course (prescribed antibiotics). Each leaflet specifies particular precautions.

If swallowing is difficult or forms are unsuitable, ask for an alternative rather than crushing or breaking without advice.

When to ask the pharmacist?

The pharmacist is the preferred contact to explain the prescription, schedules, interactions and storage conditions.

Mention allergies, pregnancy, renal or hepatic impairment, and other treatments.

When to seek medical care?

Contact the prescriber or a health professional in case of a concerning adverse effect, inability to take the treatment, or if the condition for which the medicine was prescribed worsens.