Which term means a drug that can be obtained without a prescription?

• A. Patent Medicine
• B. Ethical Drug
• C. Prescription
• D. Generic

Answer: (A)

Patent medicine refers to medicines that people could buy without a doctor’s prescription. Historically these were sold directly to consumers with proprietary formulas and bold claims, and they didn’t require a prescription. The word patent here isn’t about legal protection of the formula; it’s about how these medicines were marketed and sold to the public.

A prescription means you need a doctor's authorization to obtain the drug, so it’s the opposite of OTC access. A generic is simply a non-brand version of a drug, and it can be either prescription or over-the-counter. An ethical drug is an older term that suggests production under certain ethical standards but doesn’t indicate OTC availability.