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Find a term or part of its meaning

Words you may hear in the visit

Active ingredient

The ingredient meant to produce the medicine’s effect.

Adverse event

An unwanted experience reported while someone uses a medical product.

Compounding

Preparing or changing a medicine through a pharmacist, doctor or registered facility instead of supplying a finished drug-maker product.

FDA

Short for Food and Drug Administration, the federal reviewer of medicines.

Formulary

The medicine list used by your insurance plan when deciding coverage.

GLP-1

A hormone linked to appetite as well as blood sugar. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are medicines used in diabetes and weight care that copy its action.

MedWatch

A route for telling FDA about a product problem; both patients and health professionals can send a report.

NDC

A product identifier in a drug directory; the letters stand for National Drug Code.

Outsourcing facility

A business registered with FDA that makes batches of specially prepared medicines without living germs, often for hospital and clinic use.

Peptide

Protein building blocks called amino acids, linked into a short chain.

Prior authorization

The plan’s advance agreement to pay, required for some medicines.

Referral

A hand-off to another health professional to cover a needed part of care.

Self-pay

Paying cash for care or medicine outside insurance.

Sterile

Free of living germs.

Telehealth

Care with the clinician in another place, using a phone call, video link or online exchange.

Ask what an unfamiliar word changes about your own options. A definition can make the conversation easier to follow; it does not decide the treatment.

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