Definition of terms

• Accredited professional organization (APO) refers to the duly integrated and accredited professional organization of registered and licensed pharmacists, of which there shall be only one (1), as prescribed under Section 41, Article V of this Act.
• Adult vaccines refer to cervical cancer, flu (influenza), pneumococcal, other pre-exposure prophylactic vaccines to be administered to patients aged eighteen (18) years and above, and such other vaccines as may be defined by the Department of Health (DOH) in an administrative issuance.
• Adulterated/Deteriorated pharmaceutical products refer to pharmaceutical products unfit for human consumption, following the standards of quality or purity of which, are as those stated in the United States Pharmacopeia/National Formulary and Philippine Pharmacopeia in its latest edition or any standard reference for drugs and medicines which are given official recognition as well as those provided for in Republic Act No. 3720, otherwise known as the "Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act", as amended, and Republic Act No. 9711, known as the "Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009".
• Biopharmaceuticals refer to pharmaceutical products that are used for therapeutic or for in vivo diagnostic purposes, such as vaccines, sera, and drugs derived from life forms using biotechnology.
• Brand name refers to the proprietary name given by the manufacturer to distinguish its product from those of competitors.
• Cipher, Code, or Secret Key refers to a method of secret writing or use of characteristic style or symbol by substituting other letter/s or character/s for the letter/s intended, for the purpose of misleading the consumer.
• Food/Dietary supplements refer to processed food products intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients: vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other botanicals, amino acids, and dietary substances to increase the total daily intake in amounts conforming to the latest Philippine-recommended energy and nutrient intakes or internationally agreed minimum daily requirements.
• Health supplements are presented in dosage forms or in small unit doses such as capsules, tablets, powder, liquids and it shall not include any sterile preparations.
• Generic name refers to the scientifically and internationally recognized name of the active ingredients, as approved by the FDA pursuant to Republic Act No.6675, otherwise known as the "Generics Act of 1988".
• Health supplement refers to any product that is used to maintain, enhance and improve the healthy function of the human body and contains one or more or a combination of the following: herbal fatty acids, enzymes, probiotics, and other bioactive substances; and substances derived from natural sources, including animal, plant, mineral, and botanical materials in the form of extracts, isolates, concentrates, metabolites, synthetic sources of substances mentioned in (1) and (2).
• Expiration date refers to the end date when the manufacturer can guarantee that a product possesses its claimed potency, efficacy, quality, and safety; after which its sale or distribution is prohibited.
• Filling refers to the act of dispensing or providing medicines in accordance with a prescription or medication order.
• Emergency cases refer to life-threatening situations where a patient needs immediate medical attention and treatment, including the occurrence of epidemic or natural calamities.
• Internship program refers to a supervised practical experience that is required to be completed for licensure as a registered pharmacist.
• This device does not achieve its primary intended action in or on the human body by pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic means, but which may be assisted in its intended function by such means, as defined under Republic Act No.
• Injectibles and eyedrops are examples of injectables.
• Institutional pharmacies refer to pharmacies of institutions, organizations, and/or corporations that provide a range of pharmaceutical services, given exclusively to the employees and/or their qualified dependents.
• Labeling materials refer to all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter: (1) on any item or any of its containers or wrappers; or (2) accompanying any such item.
• Label refers to a display of written, printed, or graphic matter on the immediate container of any article.
• Medical device refers to any instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, appliance, implant, in vitro reagent or calibrator, software, material or other similar or related article intended by the manufacturer to be used alone, or in combination, for human beings, for one or more of the specific purposes of: diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment, or alleviation of disease; diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, or alleviation of or compensation for an injury; investigation, replacement, modification or support of the anatomy of a physiological process; supporting or sustaining life; preventin
• Household remedies refer to any preparation containing pharmaceutical substances of common or ordinary use to relieve common physical ailments and which may be dispensed without a medical prescription in original packages, bottles or containers, of which the nomenclature has been duly approved by the FDA.
• Pharmacy assistants assist the pharmacists in different aspects of pharmacy operation based on established standard operating procedures and processes, with a minimum degree of independence or decision making and may have supervised interaction with patients.
• Compounding refers to the sum of processes performed by a pharmacist in drug preparation including the calculations, mixing, assembling, packaging, or labeling of a drug: (i) as the result of a prescription or drug order by a physician, dentist, or veterinarian; or (ii) for the purpose of, or in relation to, research, teaching, or chemical analysis.
• Physician's samples are medicines given to health professionals for promotional purposes only.
• Philippine Practice Standards for Pharmacists are the established national framework for quality standards and guidelines of the practice of pharmacy that respond to the needs of the people who require the pharmacists' services to provide optimal, evidence-based care as formulated by the integrated APO and approved by the Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy.
• Pharmacy technicians assist in compounding and dispensing of medicines in community, hospital, institutional and industrial settings or are engaged in other activities under the supervision of the pharmacist as described in Section 39, Article IV of this Act.
• Refresher program is a prescribed study program in an accredited school of pharmacy.
• Pharmacy operations are based on established standard operating procedures and processes, with minimal degree of independence or decision making and without direct interaction with patients.
• Prescription/Ethical medicines are medicines which can only be dispensed by a pharmacist to a patient, upon the presentation of a valid prescription from a physician, dentist, or veterinarian and for which a pharmacist's advice is necessary.
• Telepharmacy services are pharmaceutical services of a duly licensed pharmaceutical outlet done through the use of telephone, teleconferencing, or facsimile.
• Referral registry is the record book maintained by pharmacists, listing the patients referred to different health facilities for further diagnosis.
• Refilling of a prescription is the act of dispensing the remaining balance of medicines ordered in the prescription.
• Referral is the process wherein a pharmacist provides consultative services and conducts preliminary assessment of symptoms and refers the patient to a physician or other health care professional.
• Continuing professional development (CPD) refers to the inculcation of advanced knowledge, skills, and ethical values in a post-licensure specialized or in an inter- or multidisciplinary field of study for assimilation into professional practice, self-directed research, and/or lifelong learning.
• Cosmetics refer to a substance or preparation intended to be placed in contact with the various external parts of the human body or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance and/or correcting body odor, and/or protecting the body or keeping them in good condition, as defined under Republic Act No. 8479.
• Online pharmacy services refer to pharmaceutical services of a duly licensed pharmaceutical outlet done over the internet.
• Pharmaceutical marketing refers to any activity undertaken, organized, or sponsored by a pharmaceutical establishment or outlet which is directed at promoting its product.
• Pharmacy aides refer to persons who assist the pharmacists in the different aspects of pharmacy operations.
• Nontraditional outlets refer to entities licensed by appropriate government agencies to dispense over-the-counter medicines based on an approved list.
• Pharmaceutical establishments refer to entities licensed by appropriate government agencies, and which are involved in the manufacture, importation, exportation, repacking, and distribution of pharmaceutical products to pharmaceutical outlets.