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Drug or medicine?
Hello everyone!
I'm a pharmacist and I never know if it is better to use "Drug" ou "Medicine"
For exemple:
"I ask the patient about previous use of medicines/drugs"
"I look to the prescribed medicines/drugs"
"This patient uses many medicines/drugs"
Is there any difference?
Thank you!
Aug 12, 2018 5:03 PM
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Answers · 3
It's better to use the term Medicine because the word "drugs" so often refers to illegal drugs.
August 12, 2018
In the context you're using the word "medication" is probably best. For example, is the patient currently taking any medication?.
The word drugs is used very commonly regardless of the illegal connotations. That is, the pharmaceutical companies are generally spoken of as producing drugs, not medicines.
August 12, 2018
Because of the popular connotations of the word 'drug ' it might be better to use medicine or medication when talking to patients, but drug would be more appropriate when talking to other professionals. I am a qualified, although no longer practising, doctor, and that is the way I tended to use words when I was practising.
August 12, 2018
