A prescription is a formal, legally recognized order issued by an authorized healthcare professional that directs the dispensing and administration of a medicine to a specific patient. It typically specifies the drug, strength, dosage form, quantity, route, and instructions for use, and serves as the documented link…
A prescription is a formal, legally recognized order issued by an authorized healthcare professional that directs the dispensing and administration of a medicine to a specific patient. It typically specifies the drug, strength, dosage form, quantity, route, and instructions for use, and serves as the documented link between clinical diagnosis and pharmacological treatment. Prescribing sits at the center of rational drug use, and its quality is commonly evaluated against standardized prescribing indicators that measure the average number of drugs per encounter, the proportion of antibiotics and injectables, generic prescribing, and conformity to an essential medicines list. Work in this area examines prescribing and dispensing practice across hospital and community pharmacy settings, antibiotic prescribing for common conditions such as upper respiratory tract infections, and the contribution of antimicrobial stewardship to curbing inappropriate use and resistance. Related concerns include pharmacovigilance and the detection of adverse events and overdose, self-medication and unregulated drug storage in communities, and the integration of prescribing into preventive and chronic-disease care. The broader aim is to align prescribing decisions with evidence, patient safety, affordability, and appropriate access, while reducing medication errors, polypharmacy, and the misuse of restricted agents.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 53 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Prescription, linking to each citing work.