1. Pharmaceutical drugs that are available only by prescription and are regulated by law, as opposed to over-the-counter medicines.
Usage: chiefly British; used in pharmaceutical and healthcare contexts
2. Principles or standards of moral conduct; matters relating to ethics or morality.
Usage: plural form; less common usage

Examples

• The company specializes in manufacturing ethicals for treating chronic diseases.
• Ethicals require a doctor's prescription before they can be dispensed.
• The pharmaceutical industry distinguishes between ethicals and generics.
• New ethicals must undergo rigorous testing before approval.
• Patients often pay more for ethicals than for over-the-counter alternatives.