forskrive

Forskrive is a Norwegian verb meaning to prescribe a medicine or treatment by a health professional. It involves choosing an appropriate drug or therapy, specifying dosage, duration, and any special instructions, and issuing a prescription that allows the patient to obtain the medicine from a pharmacy. In everyday language the action is often described as “å skrive ut resept” (to write out a prescription).

Who can forskrive? Primarily physicians, but dentists and veterinarians may also prescribe medicines within their professional scope. In Norway most medicines are either available without a prescription or require a prescription (reseptplikt). The prescriber must consider safety, potential interactions, allergies, and the need for follow-up. Prescriptions can be written on paper or issued electronically.

Regulation and practice: Prescribing is regulated by medicines laws and health regulations. Prescriptions may have limits on dosage, duration, and number of refills. For certain substances, stricter controls apply. Pharmacists verify the prescription’s validity and safety before dispensing. Since the introduction of electronic prescriptions (e-resept), many prescriptions are transmitted digitally to pharmacies.

Etymology and usage notes: The verb derives from for- and skrive, literally “write for,” and is used primarily in medical contexts. In Norwegian, the more colloquial expression for the same action is “å skrive ut resept.” The term has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Swedish förskriva and Danish foreskrive, which share the same medical sense of prescribing therapy or medication.