Is there a medication called Contract?

No, "Contract" is Not a Medication

There is no medication called "contract." The term "contract" in medical contexts refers to formal written agreements between healthcare providers and patients, not a pharmaceutical agent.

What Medical Contracts Actually Are

Patient contracts are administrative tools, not medications. They are formal written agreements that define treatment parameters, expectations, and consequences for non-adherence 1.

Common Types of Medical Contracts

• Opioid treatment agreements are the most frequently used contracts, defining key aspects of opioid therapy including risks, benefits, prescribing policies, monitoring methods, expected behaviors, and consequences of violations 1
• No-suicide contracts are verbal or written agreements where patients promise not to engage in suicidal behavior and to inform responsible adults if suicidal thoughts develop 1
• General treatment contracts for chronic conditions aim to improve behavior change, skill development, goal setting, and treatment compliance 2

Purpose and Function of Medical Contracts

Contracts serve multiple clinical and legal functions but are not therapeutic agents themselves:

• They document the informed consent process and reduce clinicians' legal risk 1
• They can enhance adherence to therapy and reduce aberrant drug-related behaviors in opioid management 1
• They improve practice efficiency and allow physicians to discontinue prescribing if there is no treatment benefit 1
• They help mitigate risks of diversion through doctor shopping when combined with Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs 1

Important Limitations and Caveats

Contracts have significant limitations that clinicians must understand:

• No empirical evidence supports their efficacy in preventing suicide or improving outcomes in many contexts 1
• They should never substitute for other types of clinical intervention 1
• Potential harms include possible undertreatment of pain or negative effects on patient-clinician relationships 1
• Contracts may lessen patient communication of distress and impair therapeutic alliance development 1
• They should only be used when comprehensive assessment indicates the patient understands the commitment 1

Clinical Context Where "Contract" Appears

If you encountered "contract" in a medication context, it likely refers to:

• Opioid treatment agreements in chronic pain management settings 1
• Risk mitigation strategies in controlled substance prescribing 1
• Behavioral agreements in psychiatric or addiction treatment 1, 2