4.3: Drug Labels

When calculating the correct dose to be administered, the medical assistant must carefully examine the drug label. The Food and Drug Administration mandates that drug labels contain important information. The medical assistant will check the label for the brand name, generic name, drug strength, total amount or volume of drug, and drug form. The medical assistant should also check the drug's expiration date, directions, and storage. In certain situations, the medical assistant may also be required to check and document the drug manufacturer and lot number. All prescription and OTC drugs are labeled with a National Drug Code, a unique 10-digit number product identifier (Lopez & Prasanna, 2022; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2017).

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