Pharmaceutical term (literal translation: or an equivalent) by which the doctor authorises a pharmacist to dispense a different, but active ingredient identical, medicinal product to a patient than the one prescribed by name. On the currently prescribed prescription forms (model 16), there is an "aut-idem index" which must be actively crossed out if the automatically granted permission for an alternative substance is expressly denied (the printed initial state thus corresponds to "aut idem"). The exact "aut idem regulation" was agreed upon between the German Pharmacists Association and the health insurance associations in a framework agreement (current version: January 17, 2008). S.a. aut simile.