prescrizione

Prescrizione is an Italian term used for several concepts that share a sense of limit, authorization, or transfer. In everyday usage, it most commonly denotes two distinct domains: a medical prescription and the legal concept of prescription or statute of limitations. The precise meaning depends on context and legal framework.

In medicine, a prescription is a formal instruction from a licensed health professional to a pharmacist or other dispenser, directing the patient to obtain a specific medication or treatment. A typical prescription includes the patient’s name, the prescribed medicine or therapy, dosage, route of administration, intended duration, and any refills, together with the date and prescriber’s identification. Prescriptions may be written or electronic and often distinguish prescription-only medicines from over-the-counter products. Some jurisdictions require special controls for restricted substances, and certain medicines must be renewed after a set period.

In law, prescription refers to the expiry of the right to sue or enforce a claim after a defined period. It promotes legal certainty by closing old disputes. The length of the prescription period varies by jurisdiction and by the type of claim (civil, commercial, criminal) and sometimes by the defendant’s status or the harm’s nature. The period can be interrupted or suspended by events such as filing a lawsuit, recognition of the debt, or certain legal acts, which may restart or pause the clock. When the prescribed period lapses, the right is extinguished, though some jurisdictions preserve certain rights or tolling rules. A related concept is acquisitive prescription (usucapione), through which possession over time can yield ownership.