Editing Medication (section)

{{Short description|Substance used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease}}
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| caption      = Packages of medication (tilidin)
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| synonyms     = Medicine, drug, pharmaceutical, pharmaceutical preparation, pharmaceutical product, medicinal product, medicament, remedy
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[[File:VariousPills.jpg|thumb|An example of a medication is a [[prescription drug]].]]

'''Medication''' (also called '''medicament''', '''medicine''', '''pharmaceutical drug''', '''medicinal product''', '''medicinal drug''' or simply '''drug''') is a [[drug]] used to [[medical diagnosis|diagnose]], [[cure]], treat, or [[preventive medicine|prevent]] disease.<ref>{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=https://www.fda.gov/opacom/laws/fdcact/fdcact1.htm |website=U.S. Food and Drug Administration |title=Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, SEC. 210. |at= (g), (1), (B) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512014151/http://www.fda.gov/opacom/laws/fdcact/fdcact1.htm |archive-date=12 May 2009 |access-date=17 August 2008}}</ref><ref>"[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004L0027:EN:HTML Directive 2004/27/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 amending Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use – Article 1]". Published 31 March 2004. Accessed 17 August 2008. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430004857/http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004L0027:EN:HTML |date=30 April 2021 }}.</ref> Drug therapy ([[pharmacotherapy]]) is an important part of the [[medicine|medical field]] and relies on the science of [[pharmacology]] for continual advancement and on [[pharmacy]] for appropriate management.

Drugs are [[Drug class|classified]] in many ways. One of the key divisions is by level of [[controlled substance|control]], which distinguishes [[prescription drug]]s (those that a pharmacist dispenses only on the [[medical prescription]]) from [[over-the-counter drug]]s (those that consumers can order for themselves). Medicines may be classified by mode of action, [[route of administration]], [[biological system]] affected, or [[therapeutic effect]]s. The [[World Health Organization]] keeps a list of [[essential medicines]].

[[Drug discovery]] and [[drug development]] are complex and expensive endeavors undertaken by [[pharmaceutical industry|pharmaceutical companies]], academic scientists, and governments. As a result of this complex path from discovery to commercialization, partnering has become a standard practice for advancing drug candidates through development pipelines. Governments generally regulate what drugs can be marketed, [[pharmaceutical marketing|how drugs are marketed]], and in some jurisdictions, [[drug pricing]]. Controversies have arisen over drug pricing and disposal of used medications.