The classification of prescription drugs is an act of distributing medications into classes of similar type. According to Drugs.com, a drug can be classified by the chemical type of the active substance or by the way it is used to treat a particular condition. Drugs can also be classified by the source of the active substance, potential for abuse or by its harmfulness.
Chemical Classification
Drugs classified by chemical structures can be useful for chemists, but may not provide a meaningful way to categorize drugs by their effect, according to an article titled "Drug Classification" published on the Addiction Science Network website in 2009. Some drugs may have similar chemical structures and cause similar biological effects. Other drugs with similar chemical structures may have different biological effects. Some drugs with different chemical structures may produce similar biological effects. Research conducted by A. Schuffenhauer and published in the "Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling" in 2007 evaluated data sets of molecules classified by their chemical structures and found that no classification method is superior to the other when comparing homogenous biological activity and chemical fingerprints. Drugs can also be classified by their chemical characteristics, such as if the molecule is an acid, base or salt.
Pharmacological Classification
Drugs classified by their pharmacological activity are often based on the primary therapeutic use. Drugs can have more than one biological effect in the body and sometimes are FDA-approved for treatment in more than one condition. According to Addiction Science Network, pseudoephedrine is a decongestant with mild stimulatory properties, yet the drug could be classified as either a decongestant or a stimulant. According to an article titled "Drug Uses, Interactions and Side Effects" on the website Treatment4Addiction, prescription drugs that are abused can be classified pharmacologically by use as stimulants, sedatives, depressants, antipsychotics, antidepressants, inhalants and painkillers.
Source of Active Substance Classification
Drugs are derived from various sources. Some drugs are derived from animals. Other drugs are derived from plants. Some drugs are derived from minerals. Many drugs are biologically engineered.
Potential for Abuse Classification
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classifies drugs by their potential for abuse in five categories called schedules. Schedule 1 includes drugs with high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use and lack of safety evidence. Schedule 2 includes drugs with high potential for abuse, some medical use and a high risk of dependency. Schedule 3 includes drugs with moderate potential for abuse, accepted medical use and moderate risk of dependency. Schedule 4 includes drugs with low potential for abuse, high accepted medical use and limited risk of dependency. Schedule 5 includes drugs with little abuse potential with accepted medical use and low risk of dependency.
Harmfulness Classification
Prescription drugs that are abused can be classified by harmfulness. Research conducted by M. Gossop titled "Classification of Illegal and Harmful Drugs," which was published in the "British Medical Journal" in 2006, reported a disagreement on how drugs that are misused and abused are classified by harmfulness. Yet the classification system that was based on the United Nations Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971 does not differentiate between medical and social harm.
References
- Addiction Science Network: Drug Classification
- "Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling"; Clustering and Rule-Based Classifications; A. Schuffenhauer; March-April 2007
- Treatment4Addiction: Drug Uses, Interactions and Side Effects
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration: Drug Scheduling
- "British Medical Journal"; Classification of Illegal and Harmful Drugs; M. Gossop; August 5, 2006
