Drug Definitions and Information Sources

Drug Definitions, Standards, and Information Sources

• Official drug name: The name listed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Brand name (trademark): The name given to a drug by its manufacturer.
• Generic name (nonproprietary name): Provided by the United States Adopted Names Council
• Nutritional supplements: Information specific to nutritional supplements is found in the United States Pharmacopoeia/National Formulary (USP NF)
• Drug Interaction Facts: Contains information on drug interactions, not nutritional supplements.
• Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database: Contains evidence-based information on herbal medicines and herbal combinations, not nutritional supplements.
• USP Dictionary of USAN & International Drug Names: Compilation of drug names, pronunciations, and possible future FDA-approved drugs, does not include nutritional supplements.
• Drug monographs: Describe all drugs in a therapeutic class (found in Drug Facts and Comparisons)

Drug References

• Drug Facts and Comparisons: Contains drug monographs for virtually every single-entity drug available in the US, discussing approved and unapproved therapeutic uses.
• AHFS Drug Information: Contains drug monographs for virtually every single-entity drug available in the US, describing therapeutic uses, including approved and unapproved
• DailyMed: A standard, comprehensive, up-to-date online resource for medicine information easily downloadable for both healthcare providers and the public.
• American Hospital Formulary: Not intended for patient use.
• American Drug Index: Not suitable for patient use.

Controlled Substances

• Schedule II drugs: High potential for abuse and lead to severe psychological or physical dependence (e.g., meperidine/Demerol)

Expediting Drug Development

• Fast-tracking: The FDA's expedited review and approval process for investigational drugs relevant to significant public health needs.