Helping people know the active ingredient of medicines in English and ten other languages

Understanding the active ingredient in a medicine is part of being medicinewise. To help culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities have better access to important information about medicines, NPS MedicineWise has created a consumer fact sheet on active ingredients available in English and ten additional languages.

The fact sheets are to help people understand about active ingredients and why the information on their prescription may look different. The fact sheets can be downloaded in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

“Our new multi-lingual fact sheet explains what an active ingredient is and how it differs from the brand name. The active ingredient is actually what makes your medicine work,” says Dr Anna Samecki, medical adviser at NPS MedicineWise and GP.

“It also explains what a generic medicine is and how it is just as safe and effective as a brand medicine containing the same active ingredient,” she says.

Since 1 February 2021, changes to regulation have meant that the active ingredient must be included in most prescriptions.

“The active ingredient fact sheets explain the changes people may have noticed with their prescriptions and explains why knowing the active ingredient of a medicine is so important,” says Dr Samecki.

Knowing the active ingredients of medicines can make it easier to

• prevent accidental double dosing on the active ingredient
• avoid medicines that you may be allergic to
• avoid unwanted interactions with other medicines you are already taking
• identify suitable alternatives when needed

NPS MedicineWise encourages people from CALD communities, their health professionals and carers to use the fact sheets to understand more about active ingredients and why prescriptions may now look different.

The resources are available in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese.