Reference Sources

Off label usage

Prescribing FDA approved medications for uses other than their intended indication

Drug classification

Grouping drugs based on similar chemical structures, mechanisms of actions or pharmacological effect

Therapeautic indication

Specific disease or condition drug is intended to treat

Index

Alphabetical listing of names and subjects with page references

Micromedex indentidex

Identifies medications by shape, color, & imprint; useful for law enforcement.

The Merck Manual

Comprehensive guide on diagnosing & treating medical conditions

The Red Book:Pharmacy's fundamental reference

Provides pricing information for prescription and nonprescription medications

Clinical Pharmacology Drug Identifier

Available to institutional & community settings

Drug Facts & Comparisons

Resource for medication monographs wherein medication interactions can be found

Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations (Orange Book)

Lists FDA approved medication products and their therapeutic Equivalence, updated annually and freely accessible.

Ident-A-Drug

An online resource with over 38,000 tablet and capsule identifications.

Geriatric dosage Handbook

Includes information on suggested current dosages for older adult patients

Martindale:The Complete Drug Reference

Provides information on medications in clinical use worldwide

ISMP Medication safety alert

A newsletter published every 2 months to educate health care workers about medication error prevention & near misses

Pediatric & Neonatal Dosage Handbook

Contains information on suggested dosages for pediatric patients

The Handbook on Injectable Drugs

A print or online resource for parenteral medication compatibility & stability. Useful in inpatient pharmacy settings