Medicines are chemicals or compounds used to cure, halt, or prevent disease; ease symptoms; or help in the diagnosis of illnesses. They can be bought over the counter at pharmacies or other stores, or they may require a doctors prescription. Medicines can be delivered in many ways, such as liquids that are swallowed, drops that are put into ears or eyes, and injections. Advances in medicines have enabled doctors to cure many diseases and save lives. Some of the most important medicines are immunizations or vaccines, which keep people from getting sick in the first place by immunizing or protecting the body against some infectious diseases.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of ensuring that prescription and over-the-counter medicines in the United States are safe and effective. The FDA has authorized or approved several antiviral medications used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick.
WebMD provides an A to Z drug database that lists the most searched medications, including Abilify, Actos, Acyclovir, Adderall, Allopurinol, Ambien, Amitriptyline, Amoxicillin, Atenolol, Ativan, Azithromycin, Baclofen, Bactrim, Benadryl, Benzonatate, Bupropion, Buspirone, Bystolic, Celebrex, Celexa, Cialis, Cipro, Citalopram, Clindamycin, Clonazepam, Concerta, Crestor, Cyclobenzaprine, Cymbalta, Depakote, Dexilant, Dicyclomine, Dilaudid, Effexor, Emgality, Flagyl, Gabapentin, Hydrochlorothiazide, Hydrocodone-acetaminophen, Hydroxyzine, Ibuprofen, Keppra, Levothyroxine, Lexapro, Lipitor, Lisinopril, Lorazepam, Losartan, Lyrica, Macrobid, Meloxicam, Methadone, Methocarbamol, Methylprednisolone, Metronidazole, Morphine, Nabumetone, Namenda, Neurontin, Nortriptyline, Phentermine, Plaquenil, Pradaxa, Prednisone, Prilosec, Promethazine, Prozac, Tramadol, Trazodone, Trulicity, Victoza, and Wellbutrin.
The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains a list of essential medicines as a means to promote health equity around the world. Access to appropriate medications is shown to have substantial impacts on community health and the related economic indicators. Quality-assured, safe, and effective medicines, vaccines, and medical devices are fundamental to a functioning health system. However, globalized trade can undermine regulation, and in resource-limited settings especially, incidence of substandard or falsified medicines is growing. The price of medicine remains the largest impediment to access, and the economic impact of pharmaceuticals is substantial.
