Question

jane has a toothache, and her doctor gave her a prescription that states: “paracetamol tabs 200 mg bid po.” what does this prescription say, in spelled-out form??

Answer 1

Take paracetamol 200mg two times daily by mouth.

Answer 2

On a medical prescription, bid signifies two times twice a day. It is an abbreviated form of bis in die, which in Latin means two times a day. The term is conventionally used in prescriptions to focus on the frequency with which medicine is to be consumed. On the other hand, PO or per os is an abbreviated form of medicine, which is to be consumed orally. Therefore, the prescription, which states that "paracetamol tabs 200 mg bid po" can be spelled out as paracetamol tabs 200 mg is to be taken two times in a day orally.