What is a prescription drug?

A prescription medicine is a medicine that is individually prepared in a pharmacy on a doctor’s prescription. It is not an industrially produced finished medicinal product, but a preparation that is specially tailored to the needs of an individual patient.

They are usually manufactured according to the specifications of a doctor’s prescription or on the basis of standardized prescription collections. A prescription medicine is prescribed if no suitable finished medicinal product is available on the market or if there are special requirements, such as an individual dosage, special combinations of active ingredients or specific dosage forms (e.g. drops or capsules).

Three main formulations are used for ALS: Dextromethorphan/quinidine (DMC), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) or ipratropium bromide. As prescription medicines are not prefabricated, they are subject to strict quality requirements during production, which pharmacies must comply with. The safety, efficacy and quality of the active ingredients and excipients used must be guaranteed.