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Medication list

It can be helpful to list all medications you are taking before seeing a doctor – ideally in the form of a table. This may also make it easier for you to keep track yourself.

It is important to write down any medication that you use, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, as well as herbal products and dietary supplements – in the form of pills, capsules, sprays, creams, suppositories, etc.

Illustration: Medication list – Table to fill in and print

The list or table should have the following information in it:

  • Name of the medicine: Active ingredient (the drug responsible for the medicine's effect) and trade name
  • Dose (how much) and dosage form: for example, a 100 mg tablet
  • When you take it, and how much: for instance, one tablet in the morning and one tablet in the evening
  • Special notes: for example, keep in the refrigerator, don’t take with dairy products, or take directly after breakfast
  • What the medication is for: for instance, for high blood pressure, pain, or iron deficiency

Example of a filled-in table:

Drug: ibuprofen

Trade name: Arthro IBU

Dose: 800 mg

Dosage form: Tablet

Schedule (when): 1-0-0-0 (1 tablet every morning)

Unit: One piece

Notes: Take directly after breakfast

Reason: Knee pain (osteoarthritis)

Illustration: Medication list – example of a filled-in table

Under “Notes,” you could also add when you started using the medication and when you’re supposed to take it until. You could also include the date of your next follow-up doctor's appointment.

For example:
Started July 07, 2021 – next appointment on July 28, 2021

You can also fill the table out on your computer or device and save it there.

When can you ask your doctor to make a medication schedule for you?

People with statutory health insurance in Germany are sometimes entitled to have their doctor put together and print out a medication schedule for them. This is the case if

  • you need three or more prescription drugs,
  • the drugs are systemic, meaning they work throughout the whole body, and
  • the drugs are prescribed to be taken for at least four weeks.

The medication schedule includes both the prescribed medications and all other medicine. It has a standard structure and contains personal details such as your name and birthday, as well as other important information – such as the name and dose of the medication, and notes about how and why it is to be used.

Friedland J. Arzneiformenlehre für PTA. Stuttgart: WVG; 2013.

Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV). Ihr persönlicher Medikationsplan. Alle Medikamente auf einen Blick. 2021.

Kretz FJ, Reichenberger S. Medikamentöse Therapie. Arzneimittellehre für Gesundheitsberufe. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2007.

Lüllmann H, Mohr K, Hein L. Taschenatlas Pharmakologie. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2014.

Plötz H. Kleine Arzneimittellehre für Fachberufe im Gesundheitswesen. Heidelberg: Springer; 2017.

IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health care services.

Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual case can be determined by talking to a doctor. informedhealth.org can provide support for talks with doctors and other medical professionals, but cannot replace them. We do not offer individual consultations.

Our information is based on the results of good-quality studies. It is written by a team of health care professionals, scientists and editors, and reviewed by external experts. You can find a detailed description of how our health information is produced and updated in our methods.

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Please note that we do not provide individual advice on matters of health. You can read about where to find help and support in Germany in our information “How can I find self-help groups and information centers?”

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Medication list

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Updated on August 24, 2021

Next planned update: 2024

Publisher:

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany)

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