You all might always get confused when it comes to the use of words “drugs” and “medicines”. Some people may often consider both drugs and medicines the same terms, but they aren’t the same. Both differ from each other in the sense of their mode of action in our body. So, let’s see how they both differ from each other in the blog below. So, continue reading.
What Are Drugs?
Drugs are basically a chemical substance that usually alters the mechanism of our body, and it controls our minds too. The effects of drugs on our body may be positive as well as negative. Drugs may be used for research purposes or to treat, prevent and cure a disease.
Example of drugs are cocaine, painkillers, etc.
What Are Medicines?
Medicines are drugs or combination drugs and other excipients that is used to prevent, cure or ease symptoms of any disease. Hence, medicines prove to have therapeutic use.
Examples of medicines are paracetamol with active ingredient acetaminophen and other excipients.
Are All Drugs Considered Medicines?
No, not all drugs are considered medicines as some drugs may have medicinal use while some drugs are non-medicinal. However, all medicines are drugs as medicines are made up of single or combinational drugs.
Medicines And Drugs Difference:
The major key differentiating aspects between drugs and medicines are discussed below:
Aspects | Drugs | Medicines |
Definition | A substance that alters the body working either in a positive or negative way. | A substance that is used for the prevention or treatment of any disease. |
Context | May be used in for medicinal or non- medicinal context. | It is used only in terms of medicinal context. |
Purpose | Used for diagnostic, medicinal, research, legal, illegal purposes. | Used for prevention, treatment or ease of symptoms of any disease. |
Prescription | Drugs are used upon prescriptions, over the counter also upon nonprescription illegally. | May be used upon prescription and also as over the counter medicines. |
Dosage Form | Common dosage forms are pills, powders, injectables, etc. | Common dosage forms are tablets, capsules, syrups, etc. |
Regulation | Use of drugs may be regulated such as alcohol and may also be non-regulated such as heroin. | The use of medicines is regulated by regulatory bodies such as FDA, CDSCO, EU, etc. |
Approval Process | Usually, drugs are not used upon approval. | Medicines are used upon approval by FDA, CDSCO, EU, etc. |
Usage | The use of drugs may be medicinal or non-medicinal. | The use of medicines is always for medicinal purposes. |
Potential For Abuse | It has great potential for abuse. | It has mild potential for abuse. |
Social Impact | Positive as well as negative social impact. | Positive social impact. |
Overlap Use | Drug such as cannabis has dual effects such as it is curable as well as addition forming. | Medicine such as opioids may have positive as well as harmful effects. |
Side Effects | Use of drugs is habit forming and show unexpected effects. | Medicines have minor and sometimes major side effects |
Controls | Controls here can be achieved by use of drugs only upon prescription. | Controls here can be achieved by imposing certain rules and guidelines by the regulatory bodies. |
Examples | Example of drugs are cocaine, heroin, cannabis, opium, etc. | Example of medicines are Paracetamol, analgesics, anti-inflammatory, etc. |
Key Differences Between Drugs And Medicines
Some of the key differences between drugs and medicines are as follows:
Definition:
Drugs are chemical substance that are used for medicinal or recreational purposes whereas medicines are chemical substances that are intended for the treatment, prevention or cure of diseases.
Context:
The context in which drugs are used may be medicinal, recreational, research or may be illegal use sometimes while the medicines are used in context of therapeutic for prevention, treatment and cure of any disease.
Purpose:
The purpose of the use of drug may be for research purpose or may be medicinal purpose or sometimes it may also have some other reason of use and the purpose for which the medicines are used is always for therapeutic purpose only.
Prescription:
Drugs can be purchased upon prescriptions as well as without prescriptions illegally while medicines can only be purchased upon prescription or for some medications they can be purchased over the counter.
Dosage Form:
The drugs are found in dosage forms such as powders, injectables, pills whereas medicines are found in dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, syrups, etc.
Regulations:
The use of drugs is not so strictly regulated by regulatory bodies whereas medicines are regulated by regulatory bodies such as FDA, CDSCO, EU, etc. according to the regions they are used in.
Approval Process:
Drugs are used without the approval while medicines are used upon approval by regulatory bodies.
Usage:
The use of drugs may be medicinal or non-medicinal while the use of medicines are always medicinal that is therapeutic.
Potential for Abuse:
Drugs have high potential of abuse such as habit forming, mind controlling, etc. Whereas medicines have minor level of potential for abuse.
Social Impact:
The use of drug may have positive impact such as cure from any disease, and it may also have negative social impact such as drug addiction depending upon its use and the use of medicines has positive social impact that is prevention, cure and treatment of diseases.
Overlap Use:
Some drugs and medicines have overlapping effects such as beneficial as well as harmful effects such as drug cannabis and opioid medications.
Side Effects:
The use of drugs for prolonged time has major side effects such as habit forming, showing unexpected changes in the human body whereas medicines have minor side effects such as nausea, vomiting, etc. and major side effects such as liver failure, etc.
Controls:
The use of drugs can be controlled by strictly selling it upon prescription and the use of medicines can be controlled by strict use of rules and regulations by the regulatory bodies enforced in different regions such as FDA, EU, CDSCO, etc.
Examples:
The examples of drugs are Cannabis, Opium, Marjona, etc while the examples of medicines are antibiotics, paracetamol, etc.
Conclusion:
Therefore, we can conclude that drugs and medicines are not same but differ from each other upon their use and its effect on the body’s mechanism. Drugs may or may not be used for therapeutic and medicinal purposes whereas medicines are always used for therapeutic purposes.
At Artixio, we are committed to help you with the regulatory aspects of drugs and medicines to make a successful product together.
FAQs
Q1: What is the difference between drug and medicine?
A: Drugs are medicinal or non-medicinal chemical substance with positive or negative effect on the body whereas medicines are intended for therapeutic use with positive effects on the body.
Q2. How do prescription medicines and drugs differ from each other?
A: Prescription medicines are regulated and approved for therapeutic and medicinal use whereas drugs approved or non-approved for therapeutic or recreational use.
Q3: What are the different types of drugs used in medicine?
A: The different types of drugs used in medicines are analgesics, anti-inflammatory, stimulant, inhalants, etc.
Q4: What are the natural substances that can be used as medicines as well as drugs?
A: Natural substances such as cannabis, opium, coca leaf, etc, can be used as medicines as well as drugs.
Q5: Is it possible for a drug to transition into a medicine?
A: Yes, it is possible for a drug to transition into medicine, but this process requires high clinical safety and efficacy testing.
Q6: What are herbal or natural products considered, drug or medicine?
A: If the herbal or natural product is used for therapeutic use, it is classified as medicine.
Q7: What are the examples of drugs and medicines?
A: Examples of drugs are opium, cannabis, heroin, etc. whereas the examples of medicines are analgesic, painkillers, paracetamol, etc.
Q8: Is Aspirin a drug or medicine?
A: Aspirin is used as medicine as pain reliever however pure form of aspirin may be classified as drug.
Q9: Is Aspirin a drug or medicine?
A: Drugs becomes medicines after a long process of clinical testing for its safety and efficacy in humans.
Comentarios