The hardworking people at Medscape have created a wonderful tool to help individuals identify prescription drugs. The creation is simply known as the “Pill Identifier,” and it allows users to determine which pill they have in front of them by narrowing it down based on the pill’s characteristics.
Similar to the game 20 questions, the tool eliminates all other possibilities until only one pill remains. The tool uses five main criteria and subsections under those criteria to determine which medication you have. The five criteria are:
- Shape
- Color
- Form
- Scoring
- Imprint
Inside those five categories are subsections. For example, under the Form tab, users are asked to specify if their pill is a tablet, capsule or other. What’s great about the tool is that it has over 10,000 pills in its database, so whether you’re working with a brand name or a generic pill, odds are it’s in the system.
Another great aspect of the pill identifier tool is that it provides a detailed description about the pill once it’s identified. The most useful portions are the strength and drug monograph section. Knowing how many milligrams are in the pill is important to prevent accidental overdose, and the monograph section provides more details about the drug, including dosing guidelines, if you should eat or drink when taking the pill, and what symptoms it treats.
Dr. Silverman comments
This is a wonderful tool by Medscape. I can think of a lot of situations where it will be helpful. I believe it will be most beneficial to adults who are caring for an elderly parent or relative. Oftentimes elderly individuals are on a lot of different medications, and helping them take their pills can be confusing at times. This tool will help simplify that process.
I also imagine a situation where a person happens upon a pill not contained in a bottle. A school administrator can avoid a fiasco by identifying the pills he found in a student’s locker as a generic form of ibuprofen instead of assuming little Timmy is passing out pain pills in the hallway.
This is just another unique way for adults and teens to stay informed about their prescriptions. Good work, Medscape.