The NetDoctor team of pharmacists have compiled the medicines database exclusively for NetDoctor.co.uk. In the database you will find factsheets on most medicines that are available in the UK. The factsheets contain important information about each product, such as its uses and possible side effects, all described in a clear, precise and easy to understand way.
More than 2800 products are listed in the database, including both branded and generic and prescription and over-the-counter medicines. These are regularly reviewed and updated, and new products are being added continuously, to ensure the information we provide remains accurate and up to date.
How do I find a medicine factsheet?
You can search for a medicine either by its brand name, or by its generic name (the name of the active ingredient in the medicine). The search will find factsheets for all medicines with that name or containing that active ingredient, as well as other articles that mention that medicine, for example articles about the condition the medicine is used to treat, ask the expert questions or news features.
You can also search for a medicine using the condition it is used to treat, for example searching for ‘treatments for acne’ will find you a page that lists all the different types of medicines that are used to treat acne.
What references are used to produce the factsheets?
Our pharmacists strive to produce evidence-based, trustworthy and easy to understand information about medicines. The medicine factsheets are written and reviewed using the latest pharmaceutical, pharmacological and medical scientific literature. A wide range of reputable reference sources are used to produce the information, including the following (in all cases the most up to date edition at the time of writing or reviewing the factsheet is used):
- Summaries of Product Characteristics (SPCs) from the pharmaceutical companies that make the medicine.
- Patient Information Leaflets from the pharmaceutical companies that make the medicine.
- British National Formulary (BNF).
- British National Formulary for children (BNFc).
- Stockley’s Drug Interactions.
- Drug Safety Updates from the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
- Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation – Briggs, Freeman and Yaffe.
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed).
- UK Drugs in Lactation Advisory Service.
- NICE guidance.
- Clinical Knowledge Summaries.
- Martindale – The Complete Drug Reference.
- Therapeutic Drugs – Dollery.
How is the medicine database kept up to date?
Our pharmacists keep abreast of developments in the world of medicine and identify any factsheets that require an update on a daily basis. Medicine factsheets are reviewed and amended immediately if necessary. This ensures our information remains accurate and up-to-date.
The medicine factsheets are also systematically reviewed for clinical accuracy on a continuous basis. The date of last review is displayed on each factsheet.
Factsheets on newly launched medicines are also added on a weekly basis.
For an explanation of what information is included under each heading in the medicines factsheets please.
It is important to remember that the database has been compiled for information purposes only and is intended to complement and not replace the advice you receive from your doctor or pharmacist.
[“source-netdoctor”]