Drugs and medication can be defined as a substance or mixture used to reduce symptoms of illness or in treatments of various diseases. Medications are usually licenced before they are brought in the market. Medications can be divided into two broad categories - over the counter (OTC) medications and Prescription only medicines (POM).  

Over the counter (OTC) medications are available in the market and do not require any kind prescription by some authorized person. These types of drugs usually carry a risk factor with them. Prescription only medicines (POM) on the other hand are only available on the prescription of a doctor or a physician.

Apart from the above mentioned medications there are some generic drugs available in the market. These drugs are sold on discounts and are easily available in the market with out any kind of restrictions. These generic drugs are very identical to brand name drugs plus their intended use, performance characteristics are also similar but the safety and quality of such drugs should be assured before purchasing them. Generic drugs are usually an imitation of branded drugs. These Drugs are although cheaper than branded drugs and can work equivalent to their branded counterpart incase of emergency.