What is meant by "indication" and "contra-indication"?

Indication:

The basis for initiation of a treatment for a disease or of a diagnostic test; may be furnished by a knowledge of the cause (causal indication), by the symptoms present (symptomatic indication), or by the nature of the disease (specific indication).

Contraindication

Any special symptom or circumstance that renders the use of a remedy or the carrying out of a procedure inadvisable, usually because of risk.

Take care,

maso.-

The indication is the reason you would take the medicine. The contra-indication is the reasons you should not take the medicine.