A pill identifier can be a great help when confronted with a pharmaceutical question. Image from Flickr.

With hundreds of thousands of different pharmaceuticals on the market, it is no surprise that many people need a pill identifier to help them out. The original pill identifier, the Physician’s Desk Reference, can still be very useful, but what happens if you want to use a pill identifier for a drug you don’t know the name of? Rather than pulling out your credit card to visit a doctor, there are now online tools that can be used.

Pill identifier tool

Of course, first and foremost you should ask a pharmacist if you need a pill identifier. Pharmacists are human, though, and they can make mistakes. It is a very good idea, when you get home with any prescription, to use a pill identifier to ensure you have the right prescription. Many pills with very different uses look very similar. Additionally, many pills that look very different can, in fact, be the same drug.

How to use a pill identifier

If you’ve got drugs that you would like to run through a pill identifier, then the first step is finding one. The Drugs.com Pill Identifier has a very comprehensive database of pharmaceuticals and can identify pills on the basis of size, shape, color, and imprint. Enter what information you have or can find, and the pill identifier will give you a list of options.

Pill identifier may not work in all countries

Most pill identifier systems may not work in every country. In fact, many pharmaceutical companies, especially generic manufacturers, may not make pills that look exactly the same. If you are in a different country, or trying to identify pills from another country, you may need to ask a doctor or pharmacist in that country to act as your pill identifier. Above all else, it is important that you know for certain what a drug is before you take it – and pill identifiers can be very helpful with that.