Prescription abbreviations
What AC and PC means
on a prescription.
AC on a prescription means before meals and PC means after meals. They come from the Latin ante cibum, “before food”, and post cibum, “after food”. They say when to take a medicine in relation to eating, not how often: that comes from another abbreviation, such as OD or BD.
AC and PC
before and after meals
ante cibum, post cibum, Latin for “before food, after food”
Also written a.c., p.c.
Before or after which meal?
AC and PC on their own don’t name a meal. Indian prescriptions sometimes do, such as BBF for before breakfast. If it isn’t clear which meal is meant, or how long before or after, ask the pharmacist.
Setting it up in AlongWell
Each medicine in AlongWell has a food setting: before food, after food, with food or on an empty stomach. Before food sets the reminder half an hour before the meal and after food half an hour after, using your family’s meal times.
Questions
What does AC mean on a prescription?
Before meals, from the Latin ante cibum, “before food”.
What does PC mean on a prescription?
After meals, from the Latin post cibum, “after food”.
Sources
- ISMP Consumer Medication Safety: Learn to read a prescription, read 28 October 2026
- Liberia Ministry of Health: National Standard Therapeutic Guidelines (2017), read 28 October 2026
- Partial list of prescription abbreviations (mn.gov), read 28 October 2026
This page explains what an abbreviation means. It doesn’t say how much to take or when: follow what the doctor wrote, and ask your pharmacist if any part of a prescription is unclear.
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