08/17/2026
You want to know how to read a medication label because it contains important information you need to safely take the drug. What are some things that you can expect to find on most medication labels? Let’s explore.
Brand Name
There are patent protection rights that are given to the company that will solely market this medication under its brand name, so there won't necessarily be a generic form of the drug available until this patent protection runs out. Once the patent runs out, other companies can market the drug and may create different brand names for a medication, but you should always be able to see the generic name as well.
Generic Name
Typically, the generic name is found very close to the brand name, usually under it.
Learn how to read a prescription label, including brand and generic names, dosage forms, release types, and instructions.