FAQ
US Drug Information

---

Question: Where can I find information about US drugs?

---

Answer:

NLM staff members create various health information sources and offer aid to find and use them. We cannot answer questions about individual medical cases, provide second opinions or recommend treatment. We can suggest ways for you to find information and conduct your own research. We suggest you:

• - Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the drug. Your doctor can also consider your medical history.
  
  
• - Search for drug information from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
  
  
  • - Check the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Web site at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/default.htm
    
    
  • - You can also send drug questions to DRUGINFO@CDER.FDA.GOV or call about new or existing drugs at 888-INFO-FDA (888-463-6332)
    
    
  • - Use the FDA Electronic Orange Book of approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations at http://www.fda.gov/cder/ob/default.htm
    
    
  • - Read the FDA Buying Medicines and Medical Products Online guide for background information and warnings about buying medicines online at http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/
    
    
• - Search MedlinePlus, an NLM source to find expert health information on the Web. MedlinePlus includes:
  
  
  • - About Your Medicines at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aboutyourmedicines.html
    
    
  • - USP DI Advice for the Patient from the United States Pharmacopeia at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html
    
    
  • - MedMaster from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html
    
    
• - Search MEDLINE or TOXLINE, NLM databases for references to professional journal articles. For more information, see the MEDLINE Fact Sheet at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/medline.html and the TOXLINE Fact Sheet at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/toxlinfs.html.
  
  
• - Use the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America's New Medicines in Development Database at http://www.phrma.org/newmedicines/
  
  

You may find more Internet drug information by using an Internet search engine. The NLM does not approve or guarantee products, services or information at other sites. For advice on using health information wisely, see the MedlinePlus page on Evaluating Health Information at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/evaluatinghealthinformation.html

The following books about drugs, drug costs, interactions and known side effects may be available at a local public or university library:

Prescription Drugs

• - AHFS Drug Information
• - Drug Interactions and Updates
• - Drug Topics Red Book
• - Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference
• - Mosby's DRUGConsult
• - Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR)
• - USPDI, Vol. 1: Drug Information for the Health Care Professional
• - USPDI, Vol. 2: Advice for the Patient: Drug Information in Lay Language

Over-The-Counter Drugs

• - Handbook of Non-Prescription Drugs
• - Physicians' Desk Reference for Nonprescription Drugs (PDR for Nonprescription Drugs)

---

Related Questions:

Where can I find information about international (non-US) drugs?

How can I identify a pill?

---

Return to the top | Return to the list of FAQs
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/drug.html

Last updated: 06 May 2004
First published: 01 January 1999
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanence Not Guaranteed

Copyright, Privacy, Accessibility
U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894
National Institutes of Health, Health & Human Services