A doctor’s prescription is hard to read for two reasons, and handwriting is only one of them. The other is that prescriptions are written in a shorthand of Latin abbreviations that pharmacists learn and most patients never see explained. Once you know the layout and a dozen abbreviations, most scripts make sense.
What is on a doctor’s prescription?
A South African prescription, often just called a script, usually has the same parts in the same order:
- The prescriber’s details: name, qualifications, practice number, address and contact number.
- Your details: your name and, often, your age or date of birth.
- The date the prescription was written.
- The medicine: its name, its strength (for example 500 mg) and its form, such as tablets, capsules, syrup or cream.
- The directions: how much to take, how often, by which route and for how long.
- The quantity to be supplied and the number of repeats, if any.
- The prescriber’s signature.
You may see the symbol Rx at the top. It simply means “prescription”.
How to read the dose
The number next to the medicine name is its strength, which tells you how much medicine is in each tablet, capsule or measure.
- mg means milligrams
- g means grams
- mcg means micrograms
- ml means millilitres, used for liquids and injections
Pay attention to the unit. A microgram is a thousand times smaller than a milligram, so the two are not interchangeable.
Common prescription abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| od | once a day |
| bd or bid | twice a day |
| tds or tid | three times a day |
| qds or qid | four times a day |
| mane | in the morning |
| nocte | at night |
| prn | as needed |
| stat | immediately |
| ac | before meals |
| pc | after food |
| po | by mouth |
| qod | every other day |
| ud | as directed |
| im | injection into a muscle |
| iv | injection into a vein |
| sc | injection under the skin |
| pr | into the rectum |
Some healthcare professionals use the same abbreviation to mean different things, so if a direction is unclear, ask. Do not guess.
A worked example
Suppose the script reads: Amoxicillin 500 mg caps, 1 tds po x 5 days.
That means: take one 500 mg amoxicillin capsule by mouth three times a day for five days. This is only an illustration of how the shorthand works. Always follow the directions on your own prescription and pharmacy label.
How do pharmacists read doctors’ handwriting?
Mostly through training and context. Pharmacists know the names, strengths and usual doses of the medicines they dispense, so a half-legible word alongside a strength and a dosing pattern usually points to one medicine only. When there is real doubt, the pharmacist phones the prescriber before dispensing. More and more prescriptions are now printed or sent electronically, which removes the handwriting problem altogether.
You do not need to decode the script yourself to take your medicine safely. The pharmacy label translates the shorthand into plain instructions, and that label is what you follow at home.
How long is a prescription valid in South Africa?
The rules come from the Medicines and Related Substances Act:
- A prescription must be presented at a pharmacy within 30 days of the date it was written. After that it cannot be dispensed.
- Prescriptions for Schedule 2, 3 and 4 medicines can be repeated for up to six months, but only if the prescriber has written the number of repeats on the script.
- Schedule 5 medicines can also be repeated for up to six months, and the prescriber must state both the number of repeats and the intervals between them.
- Schedule 6 medicines cannot be repeated. Each supply needs a new prescription and may cover no more than 30 days of treatment.
Can the pharmacist give you a generic?
Yes. By law the pharmacist must tell you if a cheaper generic equivalent is available and dispense it, unless you decline. A generic cannot be substituted if your doctor has written “no substitution” next to the item in their own handwriting, or if the generic costs more than the medicine prescribed.
Questions to ask before you leave the consulting room
- What is this medicine for?
- How much do I take, how often and for how long?
- Should I take it with food or on an empty stomach?
- What side effects should I look out for, and what should I do if they happen?
- Does it interact with my other medicines, supplements or alcohol?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
- Do I need repeats, and are they written on the script?
At the pharmacy, check that the name on the label is yours and that the directions match what your doctor told you. If anything differs, ask the pharmacist before you leave.
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.
Medically reviewed by the ASAIPA clinical team.
