patent medicine
Dubious bottled cure
Patent medicine is a medicinal preparation sold directly to consumers without prescription, typically under a trademarked name and with undisclosed ingredients.
The term dates to an era before drug regulation, when manufacturers made extravagant claims for products that often contained alcohol, opiates, or nothing effective at all.
The phrase now carries connotations of quackery: He's peddling patent medicine for the soul.
Fraudulent cure-all
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- hucksterAggressive, unscrupulous peddler
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
sham · bogus · pseudoscience · hoax · scam · fake · deception · swindle
Invigorating medicinal drink
- elixirMythical healing draught
- potionEnchanted liquid mixture
- tinctureHerb steeped in alcohol
- syrupThick sugar liquid
liniment · salve · ointment · balm · cordial · bitters · compound · preparation
Historical medicine preparer
- VictorianOf a prim era
- antiqueOld valued collectible
- collectibleObject worth amassing
- advertisementsPaid public notices promoting something
bottles · labels · druggist · dispensary · trade cards · lithograph · amber glass · cork stopper
U.S. health regulator
- muckrakerJournalist exposing corruption
- reformImprove by correcting faults
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- labelingAssigning identifying markers
ingredients · claims · enforcement · prohibition · trademark · proprietary · consumer protection · disclosure
snake oil
Fraudulent cure-all
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- hucksterAggressive, unscrupulous peddler
- mountebankTraveling seller of fake remedies
fraud · sham · bogus · pseudoscience · hoax · scam · fake · deception · swindle · impostor
tonic
Invigorating medicinal drink
syrup · liniment · salve · ointment · balm · cordial · bitters · compound · preparation · concoction
apothecary
Historical medicine preparer
- VictorianOf a prim era
- antiqueOld valued collectible
- collectibleObject worth amassing
advertisements · bottles · labels · druggist · dispensary · trade cards · lithograph · amber glass · cork stopper · embossed
FDA
U.S. health regulator
- muckrakerJournalist exposing corruption
- reformImprove by correcting faults
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
labeling · ingredients · claims · enforcement · prohibition · trademark · proprietary · consumer protection · disclosure
- apothecaryapothecary, drugstore, dispensary, pharmacist, druggist
- cure-allspanacea, cure-all, nostrum, snake oil, miracle cure
- folk medicineherbalism, herbal remedies, folk healer, herbalist, healer
- old medicinebloodletting, leeches, leech therapy, leeching, cupping
- pharmacy historyapothecary, druggist, pharmacopoeia, compounding, apothecaries
- quack curessnake oil, elixirs, tonics, laudanum, magnetic therapy
patent medicineprescription medication
Medicine requiring medical authorization
evidence-based medicine · prescription drug · controlled substance · pharmaceutical
patent medicineprescription drug
Medication requiring licensed authorization
medicine, patent, medical, medication, pharmacy, medicinal, medicines, patent medicines, medications