Acetylsalicylic acid and lansoprazole

Medication(also calledmedicament,medicine,pharmaceutical drug,medicinal product,medicinal drug, or simplydrug) is adrugused todiagnose,cure, treat, orpreventdisease.Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of themedical fieldand relies on the science ofpharmacologyfor continual advancement and onpharmacyfor appropriate management. Drugsareclassifiedin many ways. One of the key divisions is by level ofcontrol, which distinguishesprescription drugs(those that a pharmacist dispenses only on themedical prescription) fromover-the-counter drugs(those that consumers can order for themselves). Medicines may be classified by mode of action,route of administration,biological systemaffected, ortherapeutic effects. TheWorld Health Organizationkeeps a list ofessential medicines. Drug discoveryanddrug developmentare complex and expensive endeavors undertaken bypharmaceutical companies, academic scientists, and governments. As a result of this complex path from discovery to commercialization, partnering has become a standard practice for advancing drug candidates through development pipelines. Governments generally regulate what drugs can be marketed,how drugs are marketed, and in some jurisdictions,drug pricing. Controversies have arisen over drug pricing and disposal of used medications.