PharmaWise is a medication education platform that helps patients understand their medications in plain, everyday language. When you pick up a prescription, you can scan a QR code on your bag or label to instantly see what your medication does, how to take it, what side effects to watch for, and more — without needing to search the internet or wait to speak with a pharmacist.
PharmaWise was built by a licensed pharmacist with direct experience in medication safety and patient education. It is not a general tech company — it was designed from the ground up with pharmacy patients in mind.
PharmaWise is a service your pharmacy has chosen to offer its patients. Think of it like other tools your pharmacy uses to improve your care. Your pharmacist is still your primary point of contact for any questions about your medications.
PharmaWise is an educational tool, not a medical device. The medication information it provides comes directly from official FDA drug labels — the same information your pharmacist uses. PharmaWise translates that information into plain language to make it easier to understand.
PharmaWise is completely free for patients. Your pharmacy covers the cost as part of their service to you.
🔒 Privacy & Data Security
PharmaWise collects only what is necessary to provide the service:
Your phone number or email address (used to verify your identity and send reminders)
The medications you choose to save to your profile
Basic profile information you provide (name, date of birth) for pharmacy record matching
We do not collect your social security number, insurance information, payment details, or any information unrelated to your medications.
PharmaWise is built with HIPAA compliance as a foundational requirement. Your medication information is Protected Health Information (PHI) and is treated accordingly — stored encrypted, accessed only by you, and never sold or shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
Your data is stored in a secure, encrypted database (Supabase) with encryption at rest and in transit. All connections to PharmaWise use HTTPS. Your data is never stored on your phone's local storage in an unprotected way.
No. Your pharmacy can only see the medications that are part of their records or that you have explicitly connected to their pharmacy. Medications you add independently on your own profile are private to you.
You can request deletion of your account and all associated data at any time by contacting your pharmacy or PharmaWise support. We do not retain data beyond what is required by applicable healthcare regulations.
Never. Your phone number is used only to verify your identity via a one-time code and to send medication reminders you have explicitly turned on. It is never sold, shared with advertisers, or used for any purpose outside of the service.
No. Your medication profile is private and accessible only to you when you are logged in. PharmaWise has no social or community features — your health information is never visible to other users.
🤖 AI & Data Concerns
When you look up a medication, the drug name is sent to a proprietary AI system to generate a plain-language explanation. The AI receives the drug name and the official FDA label — it does not receive your name, phone number, or any information that identifies you personally.
No. Our AI provider's terms prohibit using API inputs to train AI models. PharmaWise does not send any identifying patient information to the AI — only drug names and FDA label content. Your personal health profile never leaves PharmaWise's secure systems.
The chat assistant is a proprietary AI. It is not a human. It is designed to help you navigate the PharmaWise app — finding features, explaining how things work, and answering general questions. It is not able to provide personalized medical advice, access your medical records, or contact your pharmacy on your behalf.
Your chat conversation is stored locally on your device (in your browser) so the assistant can remember the conversation during your session. It is not stored on PharmaWise servers or shared with any third party. Clearing your browser data will remove the chat history.
PharmaWise pulls medication information directly from official FDA drug labels — the same source your pharmacist uses. The AI translates that information into plain language; it does not invent or guess. However, no automated system is perfect. Always confirm important decisions about your medications with your pharmacist or doctor. PharmaWise is an educational tool, not a substitute for professional medical advice.
No. PharmaWise has no ability to alter your prescription, contact your prescriber, or make any changes to your medical record. It can only display and explain information. All clinical decisions remain with your pharmacist and doctor.
Your pill photo is sent securely to the AI for analysis and the result is returned to you. The image is not stored on PharmaWise servers after the analysis is complete.
When you photograph and upload a medication list, the image is sent securely to the AI for analysis. Only the extracted medication data you choose to confirm and save is stored in your profile. The original image is not retained.
📱 Using PharmaWise
Scan the QR code on your prescription bag or visit your pharmacy's PharmaWise link. Enter your phone number or email address and verify with the one-time code we send you. That's it — no password required.
PharmaWise is a web-based app, so it works on any device with a web browser — smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. For patients without internet access, your pharmacist can still provide traditional printed medication guides.
Basic features are available offline if you have previously loaded the app (it is installable as a Progressive Web App). However, looking up new medications and syncing your profile requires an internet connection.
PharmaWise currently supports English, Spanish, French, German, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Nigerian Pidgin, IsiXhosa, and Afrikaans. More languages can be added — contact your pharmacy if you need a language that is not listed.
Yes. You can manually add any medication to your profile regardless of where it was prescribed or filled. This gives you a complete picture of everything you are taking, which is especially useful when checking for drug interactions.
The interaction checker reviews all the medications saved in your profile and flags any known interactions — rated as minor, moderate, or major. This is for informational purposes only. Always discuss any concerns with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications.
PharmaWise profiles are tied to an individual phone number or email address. For a family member, they would need their own profile linked to their own phone number. If they are unable to manage a profile themselves (such as a child or elderly parent), speak with your pharmacist about the best approach.
For any question about your specific health situation, medications, or symptoms, please contact your pharmacist directly. The in-app call button connects you to your pharmacy with one tap. PharmaWise is designed to support — not replace — the relationship between you and your pharmacist.
🏪 For Pharmacies
PharmaWise collects patient phone numbers, email addresses, medication lists, and basic demographic information used for pharmacy record matching. All data is stored encrypted in a HIPAA-aligned database. A Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is available and required before any patient data is processed.
Yes. Participation is entirely voluntary. Patients who do not wish to use PharmaWise simply do not scan the QR code. Patients who have created a profile can request account deletion at any time.
PharmaWise displays a clear educational disclaimer on every result. The platform is designed as a supplement to — not a replacement for — pharmacist counseling. We recommend pharmacies continue to offer direct counseling, with PharmaWise serving as a take-home reference tool. PharmaWise maintains its own E&O (errors and omissions) insurance for platform-related liability.
No. PharmaWise does not require integration with your pharmacy management system to function. Optional FHIR R4 integration is available for pharmacies that want to enable automatic prescription import for patients — this is configured through the admin panel and does not modify any data in your pharmacy system.
In the event PharmaWise ceases operations, all patient data will be securely deleted in accordance with HIPAA requirements and our data retention policy. Pharmacies and patients will be notified in advance with sufficient time to export or transition their data.