Medication labels can be confusing, as they come in various forms, strengths, and manufacturer brand names.
In addition to the name of a medication, each pill will bear an identification mark that allows you to identify it quickly. These could include letters, numbers or logos.
Shape
Medications are typically designed to address specific needs and emotions. They may energize the user, boost alertness, or relax them. Despite this, a drug’s shape is not always determined by its expected benefit.
However, the shape and color of a medication can have an impact on its effectiveness. For instance, medication that is easily identifiable by patients may have greater success with increasing compliance.
It is essential for medications to be correctly identified by patients in order to guarantee their safety and effectiveness. A study investigating medication identification among individuals with type 2 diabetes found that shape, size and color were the primary causes of errors when administering medicine.
Color
Color can be an invaluable factor when identifying medications. Drugs typically come in various hues and patterns, making it difficult to differentiate them without close inspection.
Drug manufacturers have recognized the power of color in shaping customer perception of medications. Blue, for instance, evokes credibility, trust and expertise – qualities which drug consumers value highly.
Red is often associated with energy and vitality, while green evokes calmness and focus.
Drug manufacturers utilize color to tie their drugs into overall marketing strategies. They often select a color scheme for their drug years before it goes on the market, based on deep consumer insights.
Imprint
Federal regulations require all approved prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) solid oral dosage form medications in the United States to have an imprint code. This code may be a single letter or number, or a combination of both.
FDA may view a drug product that lacks an imprint code or is exempt from the requirement as adulterated and misbranded, potentially making it an unapproved new drug as defined by FDA.
To assess the effects of printing medication photographs and imprint codes on medicine bags on safe drug use, surveys were developed for outpatients and pharmacists. The survey for outpatients asked whether patients would use the pictures to verify their drugs and if they believed them helpful in improving medication safety. Meanwhile, pharmacists assessed whether photos reduced errors during dispensing processes while increasing patient safety. Ultimately, both groups utilized photographs along with imprint codes to confirm medications, leading to decreased errors and greater patient safety overall.
Form
Identification of medications is critical for patient safety. Doing this ensures the medication is appropriate and timely for each patient, helping avoid incorrect treatments or procedures which could cause serious health complications or death.
In order to facilitate identification, the FDA requires each pill, tablet or capsule have a distinctive appearance. This includes the shape, color and imprint of the pill.
These characteristics help patients, caregivers and medical professionals identify the medication. This can prevent mistakes in medication administration, blood transfusions and incorrect lab results.
Add fields to your form using the Field List pane. To add multiple fields simultaneously, hold down CTRL and click multiple times; then drag them onto your form. Moreover, you can fine-tune its design using Design view.
