Drugs, Supplements and Safety
Patients chew, swallow, inject and apply drugs, vitamins and herbal supplements every day to improve their health or fix their medical problems. What questions do you need to ask to make sure they are safe? What should you do when they don't fix what they should fix? What are the best ways to learn about the right drugs and supplements for you?
How to Interpret Your Health Payer's Drug Formulary and Tier Pricing
Each health insurance or payer maintains a list of prescription drugs it will pay for called its formulary. Learn what a formulary is, how its tier structure works, and how to use it to save money on the price of your prescription drugs.
Each health insurance or payer maintains a list of prescription drugs it will pay for called its formulary. Learn what a formulary is, how its tier structure works, and how to use it to save money on the price of your prescription drugs.
How to Identify Drugs - Pills, Tablets or Capsules
You may find a pill on the floor and not know what it is, or you may want to double check the tablets or capsules your pharmacist just gave you for your new prescription. Learn how to identify pills, tablets or capsules.
You may find a pill on the floor and not know what it is, or you may want to double check the tablets or capsules your pharmacist just gave you for your new prescription. Learn how to identify pills, tablets or capsules.
Why Free Drug Samples May Be Too Expensive
The doctor provides us with some drug samples to get us started when it's time to take a new drug. But do you realize that may be setting you up for a major expense?
The doctor provides us with some drug samples to get us started when it's time to take a new drug. But do you realize that may be setting you up for a major expense?
Where to Find Free and Low Cost Prescription Drugs
Check this master list of stores that offer free or low cost antibiotics, pre-natal vitamins, and hundreds of other generic drugs.
Check this master list of stores that offer free or low cost antibiotics, pre-natal vitamins, and hundreds of other generic drugs.
Natural Herbal Weight Loss Drugs Supplements: Contaminated, Dangerous
The FDA has determined that at least 28 "natural" or "herbal" weight loss drugs and supplements are contaminated with dangerous ingredients which may lead to debilitation or death. Find the most recent list of dangerous weight loss drugs and learn why they may harm you.
The FDA has determined that at least 28 "natural" or "herbal" weight loss drugs and supplements are contaminated with dangerous ingredients which may lead to debilitation or death. Find the most recent list of dangerous weight loss drugs and learn why they may harm you.
Save Money on Prescription Drugs
Drug prices continue to climb. Insurance and prescription payment plans are more costly, too. Tips for saving money on our prescription drugs should help us reduce the negative effects on our wallets.
Drug prices continue to climb. Insurance and prescription payment plans are more costly, too. Tips for saving money on our prescription drugs should help us reduce the negative effects on our wallets.
Discount Prescription Drug Cards
Many of us can save money when we purchase our prescription drugs even if we don't have insurance. Understanding how prescription drug discounts work and whether we are eligible may reduce our cost for our prescriptions.
Many of us can save money when we purchase our prescription drugs even if we don't have insurance. Understanding how prescription drug discounts work and whether we are eligible may reduce our cost for our prescriptions.
Prescription Assistance Programs
Patients seeking help paying for their prescription drugs and medications will find hundreds of programs available. Some of these programs are useful. Others are scams. Learn which programs can help you find assistance paying for your drugs.
Patients seeking help paying for their prescription drugs and medications will find hundreds of programs available. Some of these programs are useful. Others are scams. Learn which programs can help you find assistance paying for your drugs.
The Right Prescription for Your Medical Problem
So many available prescription drugs have so many similar sounding names, it's easy to understand why dispensing mistakes can be made. Confirming your prescription with your doctor is a smart move for any empowered patient.
So many available prescription drugs have so many similar sounding names, it's easy to understand why dispensing mistakes can be made. Confirming your prescription with your doctor is a smart move for any empowered patient.
Generic Drugs: Know the Benefits and Differences
With the skyrocketing costs of healthcare, use of generic drugs can save you money. But there are some differences between generics and their "innovator" (branded) drugs. A wise patient knows the differences.
With the skyrocketing costs of healthcare, use of generic drugs can save you money. But there are some differences between generics and their "innovator" (branded) drugs. A wise patient knows the differences.
Why Do Prescription Drug Errors Occur?
If your doctor prescribes a drug for you, it's possible that by the time the written or verbal prescription makes it through the dispensing process, you will be given the wrong drug or the wrong dosage or the wrong instructions. Empowered patients understand the perils of drug errors.
If your doctor prescribes a drug for you, it's possible that by the time the written or verbal prescription makes it through the dispensing process, you will be given the wrong drug or the wrong dosage or the wrong instructions. Empowered patients understand the perils of drug errors.
Double Checking Your Doctor's Prescription
Written prescriptions are difficult to decipher because they often contain shorthand, acronyms and abbreviations. Here are some guidelines for understanding written prescriptions.
Written prescriptions are difficult to decipher because they often contain shorthand, acronyms and abbreviations. Here are some guidelines for understanding written prescriptions.
How to Prevent Prescription Errors at the Pharmacy
Patients need to be on guard against prescription errors at the doctor's office, then later when they get their drugs from the pharmacy. Knowing how to double check the prescription against the drug received helps ensure patients get the right prescription.
Patients need to be on guard against prescription errors at the doctor's office, then later when they get their drugs from the pharmacy. Knowing how to double check the prescription against the drug received helps ensure patients get the right prescription.
Abbreviations and Acronyms Used on Written Prescriptions
The abbreviations and acronyms doctors use when they write prescriptions can be confusing, and make it more difficult for us to understand what has been prescribed. This list of those abbreviations will help you decipher the code and help you better understand your doctor's instructions.
The abbreviations and acronyms doctors use when they write prescriptions can be confusing, and make it more difficult for us to understand what has been prescribed. This list of those abbreviations will help you decipher the code and help you better understand your doctor's instructions.
Counterfeit Drugs -- From Organized Crime to Neighborhood Pharmacies
Counterfeit drugs have made their way into America's legal drug supply, making us sick, threatening our lives, or at the very least, preventing us from their promise of improving our health. Understanding how these bogus drugs get into the pharmacy, and how it is we may be given the fake drugs to take, helps us learn how to prevent being harmed by them.
Counterfeit drugs have made their way into America's legal drug supply, making us sick, threatening our lives, or at the very least, preventing us from their promise of improving our health. Understanding how these bogus drugs get into the pharmacy, and how it is we may be given the fake drugs to take, helps us learn how to prevent being harmed by them.
Using Drug Ads to Benefit Your Health
Prescription drug ads can be found on TV, in magazines and newspapers, on the radio and the Internet. Learn why pharma manufacturers aim their ads at patients and how to use those ads to your benefit.
Prescription drug ads can be found on TV, in magazines and newspapers, on the radio and the Internet. Learn why pharma manufacturers aim their ads at patients and how to use those ads to your benefit.