prescription drug
n. countablen. a medicine that you can only get if a doctor gives you a formal note. You cannot buy these items directly off the shelf at a shop.
n. a pharmaceutical medication that legally requires a medical authorization from a licensed practitioner before it can be dispensed. Often contrasted with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.
You need a note from your doctor to buy this prescription drug.
The pharmacist checked the doctor's signature before handing over the prescription drug to the patient.
Rising costs associated with the development of a single prescription drug have sparked intense debate regarding patent lengths and public access to life-saving medications.
Commonly shortened to 'prescription' in daily speech when the context of medicine is clear.