--- title: Medication Elements slug: eprescribing/guide/medication-elements docTags: createdAt: 2026-06-23T15:57:57.163Z --- ## Medication Elements The following should be used for developing MedicationPrescribed, MedicationDispensed, MedicationRequested, and MedicationResponse elements. | **Element Name** | **Codes** | **Comments** | | ------------------------------------ | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | DrugDescription | **mandatory ** | Drug name (when applicable, include the full drug name, strength, and form).
For a compound, the names of the ingredients in the compound or the prescriber’s preferred name should be communicated here.
See [DrugDescription Best Practices](docId\:mt2yWyzCDadoeg52zi45y) section for more information.
**R.305**: The drug name shall be an item that is currently available for dispensing. If there are active NDCs available, an inactive/obsolete NDC shall not be used. Customers are expected to work with their drug compendia vendor to satisfy this requirement.
**R.306**: If the drug description for single medications as well as compounds exceeds the length of the DrugDescription field, the prescription shall not be sent electronically.
**R.307**: When entering a prescription that has a free text DrugDescription and the prescription contains a controlled substance, EPCS requirements shall be followed.
For Quality Check information on DrugDescription, see [DrugDescription Best Practices](docId\:mt2yWyzCDadoeg52zi45y) | | Product | **mandatory ** | Within the Product element, one instance of DrugCoded, CompoundInformation, or NonDrugCoded must be sent. Up to 5 repetitions of ProductCode and DrugDBCode can be included within DrugCoded, or NonDrugCoded.
* DrugCoded is used exclusively for medications and including an NDC is required. * NonDrugCoded is used for non-medication products that may have an NDC, supplies, durable medical equipment and digital therapeutics. If the product has an NDC then it should be included. * CompoundInformation is used to send a compound prescription. All active ingredients must be included and inactive ingredients may be included.
**S.208:** Codified values within a message shall not conflict with the related textual concept. | | NDC | **conditional ** | Mandatory when sending DrugCoded, optional when sending NonDrugCoded. If a product has an NDC it is recommended to include it.
`business rule `
The NDC must be a valid 11 digit code.
See [NDC Best Practices](docId:8mbT8B1Vha5lUn2i7jNMl) for more information. | | Strength/
StrengthForm | **conditional ** | | | Code | **mandatory ** | `business rule` 
Must be a valid FMT/NCI code. See [Codified Field Usage for Federal Medication Terminologies (FMT) Codes](docId\:xmsfuYh9O04GxLQfxBavK) for details. | | Strength/
StrengthUnitOfMeasure | **conditional ** | | | Code | **mandatory ** | `business rule `
Must be a valid FMT/NCI code. See [Codified Field Usage for Federal Medication Terminologies (FMT) Codes](docId\:xmsfuYh9O04GxLQfxBavK)for details. | | DEASchedule | **conditional ** | `business rule `
Must be a valid FMT/NCI code. See [Codified Field Usage for Federal Medication Terminologies (FMT) Codes](docId\:xmsfuYh9O04GxLQfxBavK)for details.
For fillable messages, if the medication is categorized as a controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) or the state, this field must be sent.
**R.308:** When sending a compound with one or more controlled substance ingredients, the message shall contain one of the following:
* either the CompoundIngredient/DEASchedule for each controlled substance in the CompoundIngredient element * or the DEA schedule of the most restrictive ingredient in the DrugCoded/DEASchedule or NonDrugCoded/DEASchedule element. | | Quantity | **mandatory ** | | | Value | **mandatory ** | `business rule `
If the drug Quantity Value uses a decimal, there must be at least one digit to the left and the right of the decimal point; the numbers to the right of the decimals cannot be all zeros, and, if there is more than one digit to the left of the decimal point, they cannot be all zeros.
For NewRx, a quantity value of "0" (zero) indicates an open order used in LTPAC systems. | | CodeListQualifier | **mandatory ** | `business rule `
For NewRx: - If Quantity/Value is greater than "0" (zero), then Quantity/CodeListQualifier must be "38".
For NewRx in LTPAC - If Quantity/Value = "0" (zero), then Quantity/CodeListQualifier must be "QS" or "CF" (for compound) and must have Long Term Care service level enabled.
For Compounds: The MedicationPrescribed/Quantity/CodeListQualifier must be "CF" (Compound Final Quantity).
This also applies to the MedicationDispensed, MedicationRequested, and MedicationResponse structures. The value "38" is applicable in the Quantity element of the CompoundInformation structure. Quantity/Value = "0" only applies to LTPAC. | | QuanityUnitOfMeasure/
Code | **mandatory ** | `business rule `
Must be a valid FMT/NCI code. See [Codified Field Usage for Federal Medication Terminologies (FMT) Codes](docId\:xmsfuYh9O04GxLQfxBavK) for details. | | DaysSupply | **conditional ** | `business rule `
This element is optional. When sent, DaysSupply element must be a whole number and not contain a decimal point.
When using the structured sig elements, duration of therapy can be conveyed in the TimingAndDuration elements. | | WrittenDate | **conditional ** | `business rule `
The WrittenDate must not be a future date and should be sent in DateTime to accommodate for any time zone conversion issues that may occur.
This element usage is dependent on message type. See schema for element requirements. | | DrugUseEvaluation | **conditional ** | DrugUseEvaluation details can be included for a number of interactions including drug to allergy, drug to condition, drug to drug and duplicate drugs. In addition to including the ServiceReasonCode, it is recommended to include additional details such as the ProfessionalServiceCode and ClinicalSignificanceCode. | | AcknowledgementReason | **conditional ** | `business rule` 
A DrugUseEvaluation Acknowledgement Reason must be sent when the Professional Service is equal to "ZZ". | | Substitutions | **mandatory ** | It is important that proper product/service substitution codes be used on e-prescriptions. Prescriber application vendors should ensure that their applications guide users to insert the proper codes that accurately express their wishes with respect to substitution. | | NumberOfRefills | **conditional ** | Quantity for the number of refills.
When sending an open order, the NumberOfRefills quantity should be set to 99. | | Sig | **conditional ** | This element usage is dependent on message type.
Sig contains either completely free text with no corresponding structured content or is a generated structured Sig that contains all the elements semantically captured by and corresponding to the codified elements and clarifying free text fields.
business rule 
The SigText value for NewRx transactions must meet a fundamental level of safety and quality defined by Surescripts. Examples of unsafe and poor quality SigText values include:
* SigText contains only one character or contains only special characters. - Examples: "1", "--", "." * SigText is missing multiple key elements, such as dose, route, or frequency. - Examples: "oral", "once", "IM", "n/a", "po" * SigText contains conflicting directions. - Example: "Take 1 capsule by mouth twice a day once daily." | | SigText | **mandatory ** | If you cannot fully represent the content of the prescriber’s intended directions in the structured Sig only populate the free text. See [SigText Field Best Practices](docId:3kfLINDUOn0NWUb0CIT75) section.
Patient instructions should not be split between the SigText and Notes fields as this can result in an incorrect interpretation by the pharmacy staff of the prescriber’s preferred patient instructions which may result in negative therapeutic outcomes and/or patient harm.
Sigs should not be truncated because important information can be lost. | | (StructuredSig Elements) | **conditional ** | Structured elements supporting the SigText
Codified information, the codes and their textual representations are required to semantically match with the string in the SigText.
**Reference: **NCPDP SCRIPT Structured and Codified Sig Format Implementation Guide | | OrderCaptureMethod | **conditional ** | Identifies how the order is captured; entered by a prescriber, a telephone order (where PrescriberAgent info should be sent), a verbal order (where PrescriberAgent information should be sent) or written (when NO PrescriberAgent information should be sent). | | PatientCodifiedNote | **conditional ** | | | PatientCodified
NoteQualifier | **conditional ** | Codified note specific to patient or medication being prescribed. | | PatientCodified
NoteValue | **conditional ** | When the PatientCodifiedNoteQualifier of AA or AB is sent Value can also be sent to provide quantification of the qualifier. | | OtherMedicationDate | **conditional ** | | | OtherMedication
DateQualifier | **conditional ** | Qualification of Date/Time field.
Example Qualifiers:
* SoldDate is only allowed to be used in RxFill Notification, and RxRenewalRequest messages. * EffectiveDate (Begin) - Used for earliest fill date. The date or date/time (now or in the future) after which this prescription being transmitted can be dispensed (i.e., do not fill before date) as authorized by the prescriber. Exception: Electronic prescriptions for patients receiving LTPAC Pharmacy Services are exempt from the EffectiveDate usage stated above. |