1. Medicine Information Resources
Dr.A.Shyam Sundar. M.Pharm.,Ph.D,
Assistant Professor in Pharmacology And Toxicology
University Of Nizwa
Sultanate of Oman

2. Objectives
Discuss the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary resources.
Compare and contrast various tertiary resources.
Identify appropriate resources when given a drug information question.
List ways that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can keep up to date with health care changes.

3. Types of Information
Fact vs. Opinion
Objective vs. Subjective
Primary vs. Secondary vs. Tertiary

4. Objective information MEDICINES ARE INFORMATION DEPENDENT PRODUCTS
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Appropriate
and
Objective information
Usable
Information
Appropriate Use
IMPROVED
HEALTH
OUTCOMES
MEDICINES ARE INFORMATION DEPENDENT PRODUCTS

5. History of Drug Information
2004 Onwards
practice of evidenced
based
medicines
1997
Medline
made
free to public
1971
Medline for
telephonic
Medical
information
1962
First DIC at
Univ. Of Kentucky
1879
Cataloguing of contents-
The term MeSH is used
1876
John Shaw Billings started NLM
The young physician starts life with 20 drugs for each disease, and the old physician ends life with one drug for 20 diseases. William Osler
January 2, 2019

6. Information in its original form
Primary Resources
Information in its original form
Original publications
Research studies
Case reports
Editorials
Letters to the editor 6
January 2, 2019

7. Primary Resources 7 Advantages Limitations
Outcomes and conclusions may be misleading as they are based upon a single clinical trial.
Needs an expert reader in pharmacy and medical literature.
Time consuming to review the vast amount of literature.
Most up-to-date information available.
Gives details about the individual studies, such as design, demographics, and statistical analysis, and assess the validity of the study results. 7
January 2, 2019

8. Secondary Resources
Nothing but interpreted form of Primary information.
Most of these services are available in an electronic format.
Provide brief synopsis of each article including bibliographic citation information, and abstracting services, bibliographic citation. 8
January 2, 2019

9. Secondary Resources 9 International Pharmaceutical Abstracts
January 2, 2019

10. Secondary Resources Advantages Fast Retrieval Frequent Updating
Require knowledge of search strategy
Different systems use different indexing terms
Costly when compared with other sources
Limitations
January 2, 2019

11. Tertiary resources 11 Well-established information which is approved &
accepted by Regulatory Agencies (FDA)
Textbooks
Drug Compendia
Full text databases
Review articles 11
January 2, 2019

12. Tertiary Resources Convenient and easily accessible
Advantages
Convenient and easily accessible
Well accepted in medical practices
Less expensive
Outdated even in new editions
Limitations
January 2, 2019

13. Important Sources by Topic
Drug Identification
Bioequivalence
Drug Prices
Drug IV Compatibility
Drug dosing in special populations
Clinical Guidelines
Patient Counseling
Toxicology
General Medication Information
Natural Product Resources
Disease state information
Pharmacotherapy references
Over-the-counter Drugs
Drug Interaction references
Terminology
Laboratory Tests
January 2, 2019

14. Qualities of Authentic Medical literature
Comparative
Independent
Unbiased
Objective
Accurate
Reliable
Up-to-date
January 2, 2019

15. Hints to identify authentic literature
The author(s) is easily identifiable; his or her credentials are provided.
Has few commercial advertisements.
Includes extensive bibliographies.
Is written in a style that is intended for a more specialized audience (e.g., other scholars).
Is published by a university press, academic press, or the press of a scholarly or academic association.
January 2, 2019

16. Medicine information services at Oman
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat Medicine Information Services Department of Pharmacy Sultan Qaboos University Hospital PO Box 38, Postal Code 123 Al-Khod, Muscat SULTANATE OF OMAN Telephone: Facsimile:

17. Case Studies
A woman in your pharmacy tells you that her brother has just been diagnosed with hemochromatosis. She wants to know more about it. Which database will probably give you the best information about this condition?
You are trying to determine whether or not a new generic form of levothyroxine (a thyroid drug) is not as bioequivalent as another form which a patient had been previously taking. Where is the best place to find this information? 17
January 2, 2019

18. THANK YOU The unorganized, unprocessed, and unusable information
is a burden, not a benefit.” William Pollard
THANK YOU
January 2, 2019

19. Fact: Roger Federer won 2008 US Open…
Opinion: 2008 US Open is the best grand slam victory of Roger Federer…
January 2, 2019

20. Objective information presents all sides of a topic.
E.g., AIDS is transmitted in several ways. Heterosexual intercourse accounts for 70% of HIV infections worldwide. Homosexual intercourse and intravenous drug users sharing contaminated needles also spread the HIV virus. The virus also can spread from mother to child by transfer across the placenta or through breast milk. A number of hemophiliacs were infected from contaminated blood and blood products before screening procedures were introduced in the late 1980s.
Subjective information commonly does not provide all sides of a topic.
E.g., AIDS is transmitted in several ways, including via homosexual activity. AIDS can thus be seen as a punishment from God resulting from homosexuals’ ungodly activities.
January 2, 2019

21. Drugdex (Micromedex) on-line, via Healthlinks
Facts and Comparisons (eFacts) on-line, via Healthlinks
AHFS (Stat!Ref) on-line, via Healthlinks
January 2, 2019

22. AltMedDex (Micromedex) on-line, via Healthlinks
Natural Standard Online on-line, via Healthlinks
HerbMed and American Herbal Products Association
January 2, 2019

23. The Merck Manual (www.merck.com) on-line, via Healthlinks
Harrison’s Online on-line, via Healthlinks
January 2, 2019

24. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach –Di Piro
Applied Therapeutics: The Clinical Use of Drugs-Mary A Koda
January 2, 2019

25. Handbook of Non-Prescription Drugs- Rosemary Berardi
January 2, 2019

26. Drug Interaction Facts (eFacts) on-line, via Healthlinks
Hansten and Horn’s Drug Interactions
January 2, 2019

27. Medical dictionary; Stedman’s is on-line, via Healthlinks
January 2, 2019

28. Normal laboratory values (eFacts) on-line
Basic Skills in Interpreting Laboratory Data- Lee
January 2, 2019

29. Identidex (Micromedex) on-line, via Healthlinks
• Drug/Imprint Index (eFacts) on-line, via Healthlinks
• Martindale (Micromedex) for non-US drugs on-line, via Healthlinks
January 2, 2019

30. Orange book; on-line: www.fda.gov
January 2, 2019

31. Mosby’s Drug Consult (MD Consult). ONF
Redbook
Mosby’s Drug Consult (MD Consult).
ONF
January 2, 2019

32. Handbook on Injectable Drugs- Lawrence A Trissel
January 2, 2019

33. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation- Gerald G Briggs
Pediatric Dosage Handbook book- Takemo, PDA versions available
Drug Prescribing in Renal Failure - Aronof
Pharmacokinetic equation reference
Geriatric Dosage Handbook book- Semla, PDA versions available
The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy
January 2, 2019

34. National Guideline Clearinghouse on-line at www.guideline.gov
January 2, 2019

35. Med Facts: Patient Counseling (eFacts)
Medline Plus
Med Facts: Patient Counseling (eFacts)
January 2, 2019

36. Poisindex (Micromedex) on-line, via Healthlinks
January 2, 2019

37. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE)
The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)
The Cochrane Database of Methodology Reviews
The Cochrane Methodology Register
The Health Technology Assessment Database
The NHS Economic Evaluation Database
January 2, 2019