UNIT 2 ( PART 1)

• Pharmacists - rely on a variety of sources to obtain accurate and up-to-date information on medications.
• Sources of Drug Informations:

  1. Primary sources
  2. Secondary sources
  3. Tertiary sources
• primary sources:

  • Published meta-analyses
  • randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
  • Observational trials
  • Case studies and reports
• Secondary sources:

  • MEDLINE/PubMed
  • Micromedez DRUGDEX
  • Lexi-Comp
  • Reviews and meta analyses of primary research articles
• Tertiary source:

  • Textbooks on pharmacology, pharmacy practice, and therapeutics
  • Drug compendia
  • Patient education handouts
  • Websites from reputable organizations
• Primary sources - provides the original research findings on a particular drug.
• Primary sources - these are the most current and unbiased sources of information, but they can also be quite technical and difficult to understand for those without a scientific background.
• published meta-analyses - These are statistical analyses that combine the results of multiple studies on a particular drug or topic.
• published meta- analyses - They provide the highest level of evidence and are considered the most up-to-date source of information.
• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) - These are the gold standard of clinical research and involve randomly assigning patients to either a treatment group or a control group.
• RCTs - results are used to determine the safety and efficacy of new drugs.
• Observational trials - These studies do not involve random assignment of patients and are therefore considered less rigorous than RCTs.
• observational trials - they can still provide valuable information about the safety and effectiveness of drugs in real-world settings.
• case studies and reports - These are reports of individual patients who have experienced a particular side effect or drug interaction.
• case studies and reports - While case reports are not generalizable to all patients, they can provide important clues about potential safety problems.
• Secondary sources - synthesize information from primary sources and present it in a more user-friendly format.
• Secondary sources - They are a good starting point for researching a new drug or topic.
• MEDLINE/PubMed - a free database of citations and abstracts from biomedical literature
• Micromedex DRUGDEX -a comprehensive drug information database (subscription required)
• lexi comp- another comprehensive drug information database (subcription required)
• Tertiary sources - provide a general overview of a drug or topic and are often the easiest to understand.
• tertiary sources - they may not be as current or

  comprehensive as primary or secondary sources.
• Drug compendia - such as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and the National Formulary (NF)
• Websites from reputable organizations - such as the American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
• Some factors to consider when evaluating drug information sources include:

  • The credibility of the source: Is the source reputable and unbiased?
  • The currency of the information: Is the information up-to-date?
  • The completeness of the information: Does the source provide all of the information you need?
• Categorizing Textbook Sources According to Information Query:

  • For a general overview of a drug class or specific medication
  • For detailed information on the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, or pharmacodynamics of a drug
  • For information on the clinical use of a drug, including dosing, side effects, and drug interactions
• For information on the clinical use of a drug, including dosing, side effects, and drug interactions - A pharmacy practice textbook or a therapeutic handbook would be a good choice.
• For detailed information on the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, or pharmacodynamics of a drug - A pharmacology textbook or a specialized textbook on medicinal chemistry would be more appropriate.
• For a general overview of a drug class or specific medication - A pharmacology textbook or a general pharmacy practice textbook would be a good starting point.
• Examining the Authenticity and Quality of Internet Sources (Considerations):

  1. authorship
  2. currency
  3. objectivity
  4. accuracy
• Authorship - Look for information from reputable sources, such as government agencies, professional organizations, or academic institutions.
• authorship - The source should be clearly identified, and the author should have expertise in the topic.
• Currency - Make sure the information is up-to-date.
• currency - the website should be regularly updated, and the date of the last update should be clearly visible.
• objectivity - be wary of websites that are biased or promotional.
• objectivity - The information should be presented in a fair and balanced way.
• Accuracy - Check the information against other sources to make sure it is accurate.
• Assessing Peer-Reviewed Biomedical Literature:

  • Read the abstract
  • Evaluate the study design
  • Assess the methods
  • Analyze the results
  • Read the discussion
• Peer-reviewed biomedical literature - is the gold standard for drug information.
• Peer-reviewed biomedical literature - it can be difficult to assess the quality of a research article if you are not familiar with the scientific method.