Safety 13 August 2026 1 min read Monalife Pharmacy Team
Reading a medicine label: strength, dose and pack size
Three numbers on the box mean different things. Mixing them up is the most common dosing error we see.
Most dosing mistakes we see at the counter come from confusing three separate numbers printed on the same box.
Strength
How much active ingredient is in each tablet, capsule or 5ml spoon, for example 500 mg per tablet. It is a property of the medicine, not an instruction.
Dose
How much you take, and how often, for example "two tablets four times a day". This is the instruction, and it is the one that changes between people.
Pack size
How many are in the box, "24s" means 24 tablets. It tells you nothing about how much to take.
The trap
Two boxes of the same medicine at different strengths look nearly identical. The same "one tablet twice a day" instruction on a 250 mg pack and a 500 mg pack are different doses. Always check the strength when a pack looks new to you, especially if the pharmacy substituted a different brand.
Liquids for children
Doses are usually per kilogram of body weight. Use the spoon or syringe supplied, never a kitchen spoon. Ask us to mark the syringe if you are unsure.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Speak to a pharmacist at any Monalife branch, or call +254 790 495 867.