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.
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- Search for drug information from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
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- 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?
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