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Editorial: Professional Terminology
Just a few thoughts on professional pharmaceutical terminology so we can all be on the same page.
Product vs Preparation
Product is now used to refer to a drug manufactured in bulk and packaged by the pharmaceutical industry.
Preparation is now used to refer to a drug compounded by pharmacists.
Expiration Date vs Beyond-Use Date
Expiration Date refers to the date placed upon a manufactured drug product that is the result of extensive stability testing.
Beyond-Use Date refers to the date placed upon a compounded drug preparation that is a reasonable estimate for assurance of stability during use.
Balance vs Scale
Actually, either term is correct to use, but the more common term used in academia, laboratory supply catalogs, and in professional pharmacy compounding, is balance.
A balance is an instrument for determining the relative weights of substances.
A scale is either the pan or tray of a balance; a beam that is supported freely in the center and has two pans of equal weight suspended from its ends; an instrument or machine for weighing.
Mortar vs Pestle
Actually, these are two separate components of equipment used in compounding. The problem here is that many pronounce "pestle" as "pistle" or "pedestal" and get the mortar (the bowl) confused with the pestle (the elongated component.). Mortars and pestles should not be interchanged; they are generally a matched set. "Comminution" or "pulverization" of solids in the mortar with a pestle is preferable to "grinding."
Trituration vs Titration
Trituration (not tituration) is used to refer to either a process of comminution, or particle size reduction, or to a "dilution" of an active substance in a diluent.
Titration is the process or method of determining the concentration of a substance in solution by adding to it a standard reagent in carefully measured amounts.
Loyd V. Allen, Jr., PhD, RPh
Editor-in-Chief
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