It's not uncommon to encounter a stray unidentified pill in a purse, bathroom cabinet or drawer. An elderly person could easily spill a couple bottles of prescription medication, leaving them to wonder which pill is which medication. Or maybe a parent finds a suspicious pill in her teen's bedroom or pocket.
Whatever the situation, a pill identification website is the perfect tool for determining what type of pill has been found, whether it's a prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, a vitamin or a supplement.
How Do I Use a Pill Identification Website to Find Out What Type of Pill I've Found?
Pill identification websites like RxList.com and Drugs.com feature comprehensive pill identifier tools for anyone looking to identify a medication - prescription and over-the-counter - or a popular vitamin or supplement.
Trying to identify a pill? These drug identification websites identify pills by asking for a basic description, including:
- Pill Shape
- Pill Color
- Pill Size
- Pill Markings
- Pill Type (capsule, caplet, etc.)
Based on the information provided by the website visitor, these pill identification websites will provide a short list of medications, vitamins and supplements that fit the pill description. Visitors can then browse a few photographs to identify the mystery pill.
In addition to providing the drug name, these pill identification websites also typically provide information on what conditions or illnesses the medication is used to treat and other helpful information.
The Pill I've Found isn't Listed on Any of the Pill Identification Websites. What's Next?
If a pill, capsule, or caplet is not listed on any of the major pill identification websites, there's a good chance the pill may be a new vitamin or supplement that's not yet been added to the databases.
There's also a chance that the unidentified pill is an illicit drug. Ecstasy, for instance, comes in pill form. Often, these potentially deadly pills come bearing odd symbols, cartoons or pictures.
If an unidentified pill is not located using an online pill identifier website, the next step is to take the pill to the pharmacy where a pharmacist can examine the pill in an attempt to determine what type of medication, vitamin or supplement the person has found.
In the case of a suspected illicit substance or illegal drug, there are websites dedicated specifically to helping parents identify suspected illegal drugs. In addition, the local police department can be of assistance as police officers have extensive training when it comes to drug identification.
Tips to Prevent Medication Mistakes
Caretakers and anyone who takes medication can avoid a situation where pill identification is necessary with a few simple precautions.
Keep prescription medication information sheets. Pharmacies will provide a drug fact sheet with all prescription medications. This fact sheet not only contains vital information on dosage, potential side effects and drug interactions, but it will also contain a description and photograph of the pill.
Photograph medications and create a medication notebook. Caretakers may find it difficult to keep track of another person's medications. So to avoid any potentially deadly mix-ups, it's best to photograph a pill from each medication bottle. Place the photos in a notebook and include information on the medication name, dosage information and prescribing physician. This makes it easy to identify a pill in the event that a mystery medication turns up.
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