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Medication literacy is the ability to understand, communicate and process information related to medications. It plays a key role in taking medication safely and effectively.

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This website will be active until Sunday, January 19th, 2025.

Drug Names

Drugs have three types of names: chemical, generic, brand. Understanding the difference is essential to avoiding medication errors. The slides below provide information to help you identify and understand the three types of drug names.

Chemical Name

The chemical name is a scientific name based on the drug's chemical structure.

It is too long and complex to be included on medication labels

and when referring to a drug in speech.

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Example: "2-(4-isobutylphenyl) propionic acid" is the chemical name for ibuprofen.

Helpful Tips

More than half of all U.S. medical errors involve medication.

Review the tips below to learn how to take medication safely and effectively.

Read the Active Ingredients

The active ingredient section on the medication label is important. This is where the generic name of the drug, dose and purpose are listed. Identifying the generic name can help prevent accidentally taking too much of the same drug. Mistakes can be deadly.

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For example, a person may decide to take the popular over-the-counter pain relievers Motrin and Advil to treat severe back pain without knowing that they are the same generic drug, ibuprofen. The overconsumption of this drug could cause stomach ulcers, kidney injury or lead to more serious health events. To avoid this, always review the active ingredient. 

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