Clinical Reference: Drug Information
Created by Health Science Librarians
Selecting a Resource for your Drug Information Question
What resource should I begin with? It depends upon the type of question. This table identifies specific resources, as starting points, to answer common question types (listed alphabetically).
| Question Type | First Choices | Next Choices |
|---|---|---|
|
Adverse effects |
Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs (print book), AHFS Drug Information |
Micromedex (on-campus only), Facts & Comparisons |
|
Bioequivalency |
||
|
Chemical Data |
Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Clinical Trials |
||
|
Comparative Information |
AHFS Drug Information, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Contraindications |
AHFS Drug Information, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
Manufacturers’ websites, NLM Drug Information Portal, PubMed |
|
Cost |
(Note: Red Book is no longer available) |
Commercial web sites such as GoodRX.com †, contacting Manufacturer(s) |
|
Disease state information |
Micromedex (on-campus only), VisualDX |
|
|
Dosage recommendations |
AHFS Drug Information, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
DailyMed, Manufacturers’ websites |
|
Drug administration |
AHFS Drug Information, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
Manufacturers’ websites, NLM Drug Information Portal |
|
Drug interactions (drug-drug, drug-food, drug-lab tests, drug-disease, etc.) |
Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
| Drugs for HIV/AIDS | ClinicalInfo.HIV.gov Drug Database | Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
Drugs in pregnancy and lactation |
Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation (Briggs), (Briggs also available via Facts & Comparisons), LactMed, Medications and Mothers' Milk |
|
|
Herbal, natural & homeopathic products, dietary supplements |
MEDLINEPlus, Embase, Micromedex (on-campus only), product websites |
|
|
Identification (foreign) |
Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Identification (domestic) |
Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
Product websites (see How Supplied section of package insert) |
|
Immunization schedules |
||
|
Industry |
BCC Research, Nexis Uni (contains Pink Sheet, MedTech Insight, In Vivo, Scrip Intelligence) |
|
|
IV compatibility |
ASHP Injectable Drug Information : A Comprehensive Guide to Compatibility and Stability (2021 ed., 2025 coming soon), Pediatric Injectable Drugs: The Teddy Bear Book |
Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
Manufacturer’s contact information |
Manufacturers' websites |
|
|
Non-proprietary and Proprietary Names |
AHFS Drug Information, Drugs@FDA, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
DailyMed, product websites |
|
Nursing considerations |
||
|
Over-the-counter products |
Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
Product websites |
|
Patient counseling/education |
Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Pharmacokinetics |
AHFS Drug Information, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Pharmacology |
AHFS Drug Information, Access Pharmacy, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
Embase, product websites, NLM Drug Information Portal |
|
Regulatory/legal information |
||
|
Therapeutic use (approved indications) |
AHFS Drug Information, Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Therapeutic use (off-label uses) |
AHFS Drug Information, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Toxicology/poisoning |
Facts & Comparisons, Micromedex (on-campus only) |
|
|
Current news |
News websites |
†Commercial website, use for informational purposes only.
Table adapted from the University of Washington Health Sciences Library; reused and revised with permission.
Apps / Mobile Databases
mobileMicromedex is available for free to UNC-CH students, faculty, and staff. You must be on campus to register but may be off campus when using your device. Instructions for registering are at Mobile Instructions.
The UpToDate app is also available for Android, iPhone and Windows. Instructions for registering are at Mobile Instructions.
A list of additional apps and mobile resources is in the Mobile Health & Research Apps guide.
Natural Medicines, Supplements, and Herbals
-
Natural Medicines
Evidence-based information about complementary and alternative therapies including herbal remedies and supplements, with validated rating scales and grades to quickly evaluate quality; comprehensive monographs designed to facilitate clinical decision making. Includes content drawn from the former Natural Standard and Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits available.
Contact Rebecca
Health Sciences Library
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Looking for IPA?
The University Libraries no longer subscribes to International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA), but you can search Scopus to find most of the journals in IPA.