Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Terms: Definitions and Concepts

Accredited professional organization (APO)

The duly integrated and accredited professional organization of registered and licensed pharmacists, of which there shall be only one (1), as prescribed under Section 41, Article V of this Act.

Adult vaccines

Cervical cancer, flu (influenza), pneumococcal, other pre-exposure prophylactic vaccines to be administered to patients aged eighteen (18) years and above, and such other vaccines as may be defined by the Department of Health (DOH) in an administrative issuance.

Adulterated/Deteriorated pharmaceutical products

Pharmaceutical products unfit for human consumption, following the standards of quality or purity of which, are as those stated in the United States Pharmacopeia/National Formulary and Philippine Pharmacopeia in its latest edition or any standard reference for drugs and medicines which are given official recognition.

Biopharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical products that are used for therapeutic or for in vivo diagnostic purposes, such as vaccines, sera, and drugs derived from life forms using biotechnology.

Brand name

The proprietary name given by the manufacturer to distinguish its product from those of competitors.

Cipher, Code, or Secret Key

A method of secret writing or use of characteristic style or symbol by substituting other letter/s or character/s for the letter/s intended, for the purpose of misleading the consumer.

Compounding

The sum of processes performed by a pharmacist in drug preparation including the calculations, mixing, assembling, packaging, or labeling of a drug.

Continuing professional development (CPD)

The inculcation of advanced knowledge, skills, and ethical values in a post-licensure specialized or in an inter- or multidisciplinary field of study for assimilation into professional practice, self-directed research, and/or lifelong learning.

Cosmetics

A substance or preparation intended to be placed in contact with the various external parts of the human body or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance and/or correcting body odor, and/or protecting the body or keeping them in good condition.

Counterfeit pharmaceutical products

Pharmaceutical products which do not contain the amounts as claimed; with wrong ingredients; without active ingredients; or with insufficient quantity of active ingredients.

Dangerous drugs

Those listed in the Schedules annexed to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Single Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and Annex of Republic Act No. 9165.

Dispensing

The sum of processes performed by a pharmacist from reading, validating, and interpreting prescriptions; preparing; packaging; labeling; record keeping; dose calculations; and counseling.

Drugs

Pharmaceutical products that pertain to chemical compounds or biological substances, other than food, intended for use in the treatment, prevention, or diagnosis of disease in humans or animals.

Emergency cases

Life-threatening situations where a patient needs immediate medical attention and treatment, including the occurrence of epidemic or natural calamities.

Expiration date

The end date when the manufacturer can guarantee that a product possesses its claimed potency, efficacy, quality, and safety; after which its sale or distribution is prohibited.

Filling

The act of dispensing or providing medicines in accordance with a prescription or medication order.

Food/Dietary supplements

Processed food products intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains one (1) or more dietary ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and dietary substances.

Generic name

The scientifically and internationally recognized name of the active ingredients, as approved by the FDA pursuant to Republic Act No. 6675.

Health supplement

Any product that is used to maintain, enhance and improve the healthy function of the human body and contains one (1) or more bioactive substances.

Household remedies

Any preparation containing pharmaceutical substances of common or ordinary use to relieve common physical ailments and which may be dispensed without a medical prescription in original packages.

Institutional pharmacies

Pharmacies of institutions, organizations, and/or corporations that provide a range of pharmaceutical services, given exclusively to the employees and/or their qualified dependents.

Internship program

A supervised practical experience that is required to be completed for licensure as a registered pharmacist.

Label

A display of written, printed, or graphic matter on the immediate container of any article.

Labeling materials

All labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter: (1) upon any item or any of its containers or wrappers; or (2) accompanying any such item.

Medical device

An appliance, implant, in vitro reagent or calibrator, software, material or other similar or related article intended by the manufacturer to be used alone, or in combination, for human beings, for one (1) or more of the specific purposes of diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment, or alleviation of disease.

Medical mission

An activity conducted on normal circumstances of an individual or a group of health care practitioners to provide health services outside the hospital, clinic, and health care facility premises.

Medicines

Drugs in their appropriate dosage forms, with assured quality, safety and efficacy for humans or animals, or both.

Medical representative or professional service representative

One who represents any duly authorized manufacturer, distributor, trader, and wholesaler of pharmaceutical products and whose primary duty is to promote their products to duly licensed health professionals.

Nontraditional outlets

Entities licensed by appropriate government agencies to dispense over-the-counter medicines based on an approved list.

Online pharmacy services

Pharmaceutical services of a duly licensed pharmaceutical outlet done over the internet.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines

Medicines used for symptomatic relief of minor ailments and which may be dispensed without a prescription.

Pharmaceutical establishments

Entities licensed by appropriate government agencies, and which are involved in the manufacture, importation, exportation, repacking, and distribution of pharmaceutical products to pharmaceutical outlets.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers

Establishments engaged in any or all operations involved in the production of pharmaceutical products including the preparation, processing, compounding, formulating, filling, packaging, repackaging, altering, ornamenting, finishing and labeling, preparatory to their storage, sale, or distribution.

Pharmaceutical marketing

Any activity undertaken, organized, or sponsored by a pharmaceutical establishment or outlet which is directed at promoting its product.

Pharmaceutical outlets

Entities licensed by appropriate government agencies, and which are involved in compounding and/or dispensing and selling of pharmaceutical products directly to patients or end-users.

Pharmaceutical products

Drugs, medicines, biologicals, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products/specialties, veterinary products, veterinary biologies and veterinary medicinal products.

Pharmacist

A health professional who has been registered and issued a valid Certificate of Registration (COR) and Professional Identification Card (PIC) by the PRC and the Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy.

Pharmacist-only OTC medicines

Over-the-counter medicines classified by appropriate government agencies to be obtained only from a licensed pharmacist, with mandatory pharmacist's advice on their selection and proper use.

Pharmacy aides

Persons who assist the pharmacists in the different aspects of pharmacy operation based on established standard operating procedures and processes, with very minimal degree of independence or decision making and without direct interaction with patients.

Pharmacy assistants

Persons who assist the pharmacists in different aspects of pharmacy operation based on established standard operating procedures and processes, with a minimum degree of independence or decision making and may have supervised interaction with patients.

Pharmacy technicians

Persons who assist in compounding and dispensing of medicines in community, hospital, institutional and industrial settings or engaged in other activities under the supervision of the pharmacist.

Philippine Practice Standards for Pharmacists

The established national framework for quality standards and guidelines of the practice of pharmacy that respond to the needs of the people who require the pharmacists' services to provide optimal, evidence-based care.

Physician's samples

Medicines given to health professionals for promotional purposes only.

Prescription/Ethical medicines

Medicines which can only be dispensed by a pharmacist to a patient, upon the presentation of a valid prescription from a physician, dentist, or veterinarian and for which a pharmacist's advice is necessary.

Refilling of a prescription

The act of dispensing the remaining balance of medicines ordered in the prescription.

Referral

The process wherein a pharmacist provides consultative services and conducts preliminary assessment of symptoms and refers the patient to a physician or other health care professional.

Referral registry

The record book maintained by pharmacists, listing the patients referred to different health facilities for further diagnosis.

Refresher program

A prescribed study program in an accredited school of pharmacy.

Telepharmacy services

Pharmaceutical services of a duly licensed pharmaceutical outlet done through the use of telephone, teleconferencing, or facsimile.