A leaflet provides information about a medicine.
A leaflet is a brochure that accompanies various products and includes information about their composition, instructions for use, usefulness and contraindications. Leaflets are usually included with pharmaceutical products ( medicines or remedies ).
For example: “Before taking any antibiotic, you should read the leaflet carefully” , “The leaflet indicates that this painkiller may cause drowsiness” , “If you have any questions, be sure to check the leaflet, but it is best to consult a trusted doctor” .
Contents of a prospectus
The prospectus - a term derived from the Latin prospectus ( to examine ) - may include various types of information. Content that is usually not missing includes the identification of the medicine (the trade name and the active ingredient), its composition and pharmaceutical form, the identification of the person who authorized the product, therapeutic indications, precautions for use , special warnings, dosage, frequency of administration and a description of possible adverse reactions.
It is worth mentioning that reading the leaflet is not always enough to understand the information it provides. When it comes to a prescription drug, the doctor usually gives us the necessary instructions to take it properly; however, we often buy over-the-counter pharmaceutical products and find a large number of concepts that are difficult to understand. Let's look at some of the main points of a leaflet, explained below:
- Composition : Lists all the substances that make up the medicine, as well as their name, quantity and how they are presented (in syrup, tablets, capsules, etc.). This includes the active ingredients (substances that produce an action on the body) and the excipients (non-active substances, such as sugar in syrups, colorants and starch). It is important to check the components in case of allergy.
- Indications : These are the symptoms, diseases or situations for which the medication is recommended.
- Dosage : specifies the recommended dose of the medication, both per dose and per day, as well as explaining the differences between intake for children, adults and the elderly. A specification may also appear based on the patient 's weight or age.
- Contraindications : details all the reasons why the medicine should not be taken, such as certain chronic diseases or allergies that make the drug harmful to health. Needless to say, this is a fundamental point of a leaflet.
- Precautions : Indicates situations in which special attention should be paid, some of which may result in the need to interrupt the dose and consult a doctor.
- Side effects : explains the possible unwanted reactions that the drug can cause in the body. Active substances, such as medicines, can produce effects that are not related to the cure or prevention of a disorder. It is worth mentioning that the appearance of mild side effects is normal; however, if you notice any type of alteration, it is always advisable to go to a doctor or a trusted pharmacy to ask for information.
The idea of prospect is used in marketing.
The term in marketing
A prospectus can also be a brief exposition of a writing, a work, a merchandise, etc. In the field of marketing , a prospect is known as a potential client or consumer .
CRM ( Customer Relationship Manager ) software programs often work with information about prospects so that salespeople can close the deal and turn those prospects into customers : “The manager asked me to send him the list of prospects to determine which ones are the most important” , “Tell Juan that the prospect from Chile has finally given up on the purchase” , “Our sales team can manage more than a hundred prospects simultaneously” .