Prescriptions and medicines
Prescription decoder: PO, BID, PRN and other abbreviations
Prescriptions use Latin shorthand that was never meant for patients. Add yours below and each line is written out in full: the medicine as named, the strength, and the instructions in ordinary words.
Explain your prescription
- 1. Add itDrop a PDF, take a photo or paste the text.
- 2. Check itPersonal details are removed on your device. You approve what is sent.
- 3. Read itSummary, table of results, terms and questions to ask.
The explainer opens on its own page with no adverts and no outside scripts. Your file is read on your device and is never uploaded.
What you get
- Each medicine on its own row with the instructions spelled out.
- Abbreviations such as "po", "bid", "prn" and "qhs" expanded exactly as written.
- A glossary of every abbreviation found on your prescription.
- Questions you could ask your pharmacist or prescriber.
Shorthand you may see
- poBy mouth
- bid, tid, qidTwice, three times or four times a day
- qd or odOnce a day
- qhsAt bedtime
- prnOnly when needed
- ac and pcBefore meals and after meals
What this tool cannot tell you
MedicDecode spells out what the prescription says. It does not check whether a medicine or dose is right for you, and it does not suggest changes. Handwritten prescriptions are often misread by software, so compare the text it finds with the paper. If any instruction is unclear, ask your pharmacist before taking the medicine.
Common questions
What does PO mean on a prescription?
PO comes from the Latin per os and means by mouth: the medicine is swallowed, as a tablet, capsule or liquid.
What does PO BID mean?
Take by mouth twice a day. BID comes from the Latin bis in die. Your pharmacist can tell you how far apart the two doses should be for your medicine.
Is BID the same as twice a day?
Yes. BID means twice a day. Some prescriptions write BD instead, which means the same.
What does SIG mean on a prescription?
SIG (from the Latin signa, label it) marks the directions the pharmacist prints on the label, for example how much to take and how often.
Can it read a doctor's handwriting?
Often not well. Text recognition works best on printed prescriptions. For handwriting, type the lines you can read and ask your pharmacist about the rest.
Will it tell me if two medicines interact?
No. Interaction checks need your full medicine list and medical history. Your pharmacist can do this for you.
Does it explain what each medicine is for?
It gives a short general description of the medicine as named. It does not say why it was prescribed for you; your prescriber can tell you that.
Words you may see on this report
Tap a word for its plain-English meaning, an example line and what it does not mean.
- BID, TID and QID
BID, TID and QID are abbreviations on prescriptions meaning twice a day, three times a day and four times a day.
- Extended-Release
Extended-release means a medicine is designed to release its active ingredient slowly over many hours, so it is often taken less often.
- PRN
PRN on a prescription means "as needed": take the medicine only when you need it, within the limits your prescriber set.
- Adjunctive therapy
Adjunctive therapy is a medicine or treatment added to another main treatment to help it work better.
- Allergy alert
An allergy alert is a warning on an over-the-counter medicine label about allergic reactions the ingredient can cause, and what to do if one happens.
- Bioequivalent
Bioequivalent means two versions of a medicine deliver the same active ingredient into the blood at about the same rate and amount.
- Boxed warning
A boxed warning is the strongest safety warning on a US medicine label, printed in a box, about a serious or life-threatening risk.
- Caplet
A caplet is a tablet shaped like a capsule: smooth, oblong and often coated, so it is easier to swallow. It is still a solid tablet.
- Contraindication
A contraindication is a reason not to use a particular medicine, test or procedure for a person because it could cause harm.
- Controlled substance
A controlled substance is a medicine or drug whose making, prescribing and supply are tightly regulated by law because it can be misused or cause dependence.
- Course of treatment
A course of treatment is the full planned period of taking a medicine, such as a set number of days of antibiotics.
- Excessive moisture
On a medicine label, 'protect from excessive moisture' is a storage instruction: keep the product dry so it does not break down or lose strength.