An order for medication, therapy or therapeutic device given by a properly authorised person, which ultimately goes to a person properly authorised to dispense, supply or perform the order (in most situations, a pharmacist).

A prescription is usually in written form (either handwritten or computer generated); can be phoned or faxed; and includes the patient's name and address, the date, the medication prescribed either as approved or generic name or as a proprietary name (or trademark); directions to the pharmacist, whether it is acceptable to dispense a generic equivalent, directions to the patient that must appear on the label, prescriber's signature and an identifying prescriber number.