Prescription vs. Subscription — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 31, 2024
A prescription is an order for medication issued by a doctor, whereas a subscription involves recurring payments for ongoing services.
Difference Between Prescription and Subscription
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A prescription is a formal document written by a licensed healthcare professional to authorize the dispensing of medication to a patient, highlighting the specific dosage and instructions for use. On the other hand, a subscription is an agreement or arrangement to receive products or services, typically on a regular basis, in exchange for payment, often monthly or annually.
Prescriptions are essential for accessing certain medications that require monitoring by healthcare providers to ensure safety and effectiveness. Whereas, subscriptions cater to a wide range of services and products, from digital content like streaming services to physical goods like magazines or food delivery boxes.
The process of getting a prescription involves consultation with a healthcare provider who assesses the patient's health condition and determines the most appropriate medication. In contrast, subscribing to a service or product usually only requires choosing a plan and making a payment, often through an online platform.
Prescriptions are governed by strict regulations to control the distribution of medications, especially those that could be dangerous if misused. Subscriptions, while also subject to business and consumer protection laws, primarily operate under contract law and are more flexible in terms of consumer choice and provider offerings.
Finally, the purpose of prescriptions is to ensure that patients receive the correct medications for their health conditions, under professional supervision. Subscriptions, however, are designed to provide continuous access to goods or services, enhancing convenience and often saving money for the consumer over time.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
An order for medication by a licensed healthcare provider.
An arrangement to receive products or services regularly.
Purpose
To provide patients with specific medications for health issues.
To offer ongoing access to products or services.
Involvement
Requires a healthcare provider's assessment and approval.
Requires consumer's choice and payment setup.
Regulation
Strictly regulated to ensure patient safety.
Governed by contract law, with varying degrees of consumer protection.
Example
Getting a prescription for antibiotics from a doctor.
Subscribing to a monthly streaming service or magazine.
Compare with Definitions
Prescription
Requires pharmacy dispensation.
I had to take the prescription to the pharmacy to get my medication.
Subscription
Recurring access to products/services.
I have a subscription to an online news outlet.
Prescription
A healthcare provider's authorization for medication.
The doctor gave me a prescription for my sinus infection.
Subscription
Payments at regular intervals.
My magazine subscription is billed annually.
Prescription
Tailored to individual health needs.
Each prescription is specifically for the patient's diagnosis.
Subscription
Wide range of options.
From meal kits to streaming services, subscriptions cover various interests.
Prescription
Often covered by health insurance.
My prescription costs were significantly lowered by my health insurance.
Subscription
Can be cancelled or modified.
I cancelled my subscription when I moved abroad.
Prescription
Subject to government regulation.
The new prescription guidelines aim to reduce antibiotic resistance.
Subscription
Offers convenience and sometimes savings.
The subscription model saves me time and money on grocery shopping.
Prescription
The action of establishing a rule, law, or direction.
Subscription
An arrangement to receive something, typically a publication, regularly by paying in advance
The newsletter is available only on subscription
Make sure you get a copy every month by taking out a subscription
Prescription
Something that is prescribed; a rule, law, or direction
Prescriptions for living a moral life.
Subscription
A signature or short piece of writing at the end of a document
He signed the letter and added a subscription
Prescription
A written order, especially by a physician, for the preparation and administration of a medicine or other treatment.
Subscription
A purchase made by signed order, as for a periodical for a specified period of time or for a series of performances.
Prescription
A prescribed medicine or other treatment
Have you used up all of your prescription?.
Subscription
An agreement to receive or be given access to information or services for a specific period of time, especially over the internet
You need a subscription to get past that newspaper's paywall.
Prescription
An ophthalmologist's or optometrist's written instruction, as for the grinding of corrective lenses.
Subscription
Acceptance, as of articles of faith, demonstrated by the signing of one's name.
Prescription
(Law) The acquisition of an easement or of title to property by use or occupancy that exceeds the time allowed to another to recover it by statutory right.
Subscription
The raising of money from subscribers.
Prescription
A written order from an authorized medical practitioner for provision of a medicine or other treatment, such as (ophthalmology) the specific lenses needed for a pair of glasses.
The surgeon had written thousands of prescriptions for pain killers without proper examinations before the police raided the clinic.
Subscription
A sum of money so raised.
Prescription
(medicine) The medicine or treatment provided by such an order.
I need you to pick up gramma's prescriptions on your way home.
Subscription
The signing of one's name, as to a document.
Prescription
(figurative) Any plan of treatment or planned treatment.
Early to bed and early to rise is a prescription for a long, healthy, and terrible life.
Subscription
Something subscribed.
Prescription
(legal) enactment, the act of establishing a law, regulation, etc., particularly in writing; an instance of this.
Subscription
Access to a resource for a period of time, generally for payment.
I have a monthly subscription to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
My library subscription is about to expire.
Prescription
(linguistics) The act of establishing or formalizing ideal norms for language use, as opposed to describing the actual norms of such use; an instance of this.
Subscription
The formal acceptance of something, especially when verified with a signature.
Prescription
(legal) An established time period within which a right must be exercised and after which it is null and permanently unenforceable.
Subscription
The signing of one's name.
Prescription
(legal) An established time period after which a person who has uninterruptedly, peacefully, and publicly used another's property acquires full ownership of it.
Subscription
Contributing or promising to contribute money to a common fund.
Prescription
(obsolete) self-restraint, limiting of one's actions especially according to a moral code or social conventions.
Subscription
The act of subscribing.
Prescription
Only available with a physician or nurse practitioner's written prescription
Many powerful pain killers are prescription drugs in the U.S.
Subscription
That which is subscribed.
Prescription
The act of prescribing, directing, or dictating; direction; precept; also, that which is prescribed.
Subscription
The acceptance of articles, or other tests tending to promote uniformity; esp. (Ch. of Eng.), formal assent to the Thirty-nine Articles and the Book of Common Prayer, required before ordination.
Prescription
A direction of a remedy or of remedies for a disease, and the manner of using them; a medical recipe; also, a prescribed remedy.
Subscription
Submission; obedience.
You owe me no subscription.
Prescription
A prescribing for title; the claim of title to a thing by virtue of immemorial use and enjoyment; the right or title acquired by possession had during the time and in the manner fixed by law.
That profound reverence for law and prescription which has long been characteristic of Englishmen.
Subscription
That part of a prescription which contains the direction to the apothecary.
Prescription
Directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions;
I tried to follow her prescription for success
Subscription
A method of purchasing items produced periodically in a series, as newspapers or magazines, in which a certain number of the items are delivered as produced, without need for ordering each item individually; also, the purchase thus executed.
Prescription
A drug that is available only with written instructions from a doctor or dentist to a pharmacist;
He told the doctor that he had been taking his prescription regularly
Subscription
A payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time
Prescription
Written instructions for an optician on the lenses for a given person
Subscription
Agreement expressed by (or as if expressed by) signing your name
Prescription
Written instructions from a physician or dentist to a druggist concerning the form and dosage of a drug to be issued to a given patient
Subscription
A pledged contribution
Prescription
Available only with a doctor's written prescription;
A prescription drug
Nonprescription drugs
An over-the-counter cold remedy
Subscription
The act of signing your name; writing your signature (as on a document);
The deed was attested by the subscription of his signature
Common Curiosities
Are prescriptions only for medication?
Primarily, though some can authorize therapies or medical devices.
What is a subscription?
An agreement for ongoing access to products or services.
How do I get a prescription?
By consulting with a healthcare provider who deems it necessary.
How do I start a subscription?
By selecting a service or product and setting up regular payments.
Can I cancel a subscription easily?
Generally, yes, but terms vary by provider.
What is a prescription?
A document by a healthcare professional for medication.
Do all prescriptions need to be pharmacy-dispensed?
Most do, especially for controlled or prescription-only medications.
Are prescriptions covered by insurance?
Often, but coverage varies by plan and medication.
Can I have multiple subscriptions?
Yes, there's no limit to how many you can have.
Why do people subscribe to services?
For convenience, savings, and regular access to products/services.
Can subscriptions include physical goods?
Yes, including food, magazines, and consumer goods.
Do subscriptions save money?
They can, by offering services or products at a lower overall cost.
Are prescriptions valid indefinitely?
No, they expire and are regulated by healthcare laws.
Is a doctor's visit always required for a prescription?
Yes, though telehealth services might offer an alternative.
Can prescriptions be digital?
Yes, electronic prescriptions are common and accepted at most pharmacies.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
