Medication vs. Vaccination — What's the Difference?

A medication (also referred to as medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and relies on the science of pharmacology for continual advancement and on pharmacy for appropriate management.

Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop protection from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism.

A drug or other form of medicine that is used to treat or prevent disease

Treatment with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease; inoculation

A drug or other substance used to treat disease or injury; a medicine.

Inoculation with a vaccine in order to protect against a particular disease.

The act or process of treating a patient with medicine

A scar left on the skin by vaccinating.

A medicine, or all the medicines regularly taken by a patient.

Inoculation with a vaccine, in order to protect from a particular disease or strain of disease.

The administration of medicine.

The act, art, or practice of vaccinating, or inoculating with the cowpox, in order to prevent or mitigate an attack of smallpox. Cf. Inoculation.

The act or process of medicating.

Any inoculation intended to raise immunity to a disease.

(medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease

Taking a vaccine as a precaution against contracting a disease

The act of treating with medicines or remedies

The scar left following innoculation with a vaccine