Name and composition
The leaflet opens with the brand name, the INN and the composition: the active substance and the excipients. Excipients matter if you are prone to allergies.
Leaflet
Methods and approaches
The leaflet — the instructions for medical use — is the main document you receive with a medicine. It is dense and not always written in plain language, but it follows a clear logic: the sections always come in the same order. Here we look at where to find what, how dosage forms differ and why some medicines are available only on prescription. How exactly to use a medicine is set by your doctor and the leaflet itself, not by this guide.
You don't need to learn the leaflet by heart. It is enough to know which section holds the answer, and to take the time to reread it whenever you are prescribed something new.
How this section works: we explain how leaflets and packs are organised in general, without examples of specific medicines, dosing schedules or indications. The aim is for you to find the right section yourself and come to your doctor or pharmacist with a precise question.
Reading the leaflet section by section
The sections repeat from one medicine to the next — you quickly get used to their order.
Indications
This section lists the conditions for which the medicine is used. It does not mean the medicine is right for you: that is for the doctor to decide.
Contraindications and precautions
Here it says who must not take the medicine and when special care is needed. If you recognise yourself, tell your doctor.
How to use
This section describes how and when the medicine is used. Follow your doctor's prescription and this section, and if they differ, check with your doctor rather than choosing yourself.
Side effects
A list of possible adverse reactions. It is long not because all of this will happen, but because it collects every known reaction.
Interactions
This section covers how the medicine combines with other medicines, food and alcohol. One more reason to tell your doctor about everything you take.
Storage and shelf life
Near the end you will find the temperature, protection from light and moisture, and the shelf life. These lines are worth rereading when you put the medicine away.
Dosage forms
The form affects how a medicine is stored and how long it can be used.
Tablets
A solid form, most often in a blister strip. The blister protects against moisture, so tablets are best kept in it rather than tipped into a jar.
Capsules
The capsule shell is sensitive to heat and humidity. Capsules may be opened only when the leaflet or your doctor allows it.
Syrups and solutions
Once opened, liquid forms usually have their own period of use. The bottle is closed tightly, and the contents are measured with the device supplied with the pack.
Ointments and creams
Close the tube straight after use and do not touch the nozzle with your fingers. If an ointment has separated or changed smell, show it to a pharmacist.
Drops
Eye, ear and nasal drops are especially vulnerable to contamination once opened. The tip of the bottle should not touch the skin, and the shelf life after opening is checked in the leaflet.
Prescription and over-the-counter
Every pack shows how the medicine may be supplied.
Prescription only
These medicines are supplied only with a doctor's prescription, because using them requires an assessment of your condition and monitoring by a specialist.
Over the counter
Not needing a prescription does not mean a medicine is harmless or suits everyone. It still has contraindications and interactions, and if in doubt it is worth asking a pharmacist.
Prescription validity
A prescription is valid for a limited time. If you did not manage to use it, ask your doctor for a new one rather than looking for a way to do without it.
What to find in the leaflet before you start
- Whether the name on the pack matches the one on your prescription
- Whether the contraindications include conditions your doctor may not know about
- How the medicine combines with what you already take
- How to store it and how long it keeps once opened
- Which side effects mean you should contact your doctor
- What to measure a liquid form with, if a measuring device is supplied with the pack
Read next
- Topics
Topics by group: leaflet and pack, storage, special situations and safety. The article catalogue is here too.
- Questions
Questions worth asking your doctor when a medicine is prescribed, your pharmacist, and anyone when a reaction appears.
- Glossary
Words from the pack and the leaflet: INN, brand name, dosage form, batch number, contraindications.
Sources
- Package leaflets / instructions for medical use
- WHO — International Nonproprietary Names (INN) programme
- State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation
Information is current as of the preparation date. Rules on medicines, labelling requirements and the procedure for reporting side effects can change — always check the leaflet for your specific medicine and confirm the details with a doctor or pharmacist.