Access to Reference Sources

Updated September 2017

Reference source / Where to access / Log-in details / Notes /
eMC / http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/ / None needed / SPCs and PILS for most but not all licensed medicines. Gives licensed indications and doses.
MHRA / https://www.gov.uk/pil-spc / None needed / SPCs and PILs for all licensed medicines.
BNF online / HOWIS, e-library for health. Medicines information
http://howis.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/878/page/58137 / None needed / BNFC also available on e-library.
The BNF/BNFC app can also be installed on your smartphone or tablet.
Micromedex
(Martindale, DrugDex,
AltMedex) / HOWIS, e-library for health. Medicines information
http://howis.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/878/page/31994 / personal Athens username and password / Detailed pharmacokinetic data/ADR info. Interactions checker can check multiple drugs. Useful for looking up foreign drug names. DrugDex is an American database.
Medicines complete
(Stockley’s) / https://www.medicinescomplete.com/mc/ / Subscription needed.
Your local MI centre may have a subscription. / Detailed information on interactions including some alternative medicines.
NHS evidence / https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/ / None needed.
Register for daily alerts / Can limit searches using source function.
SPS (Specialist Pharmacy Service) website / https://www.sps.nhs.uk/ / None needed for most content. Free to register, log-in for full content / Information on refrigerated medicines stability, safety during lactation, dosette box stability, medicines shortages.
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database / http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/home.aspx / Subscription needed.
Your local MI centre may have a subscription. / Very comprehensive database for alternative medicines. American database.
NEWT Guidelines / http://newtguidelines.com/ / Subscription needed.
Your local MI centre may have a subscription. / Information for administration of medication via enteral feeding tubes/those with swallowing difficulties.
Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) / http://cks.nice.org.uk / None needed / Guidelines for primary care health professionals.
Toxbase / http://www.toxbase.org/ / Free to register
Your local MI centre may have a subscription. / Poisoning information (acute overdoses – refer patient to NHS Direct / AE; refer HCP to Poisons Information Service - 03448920111)
Very useful information on safety of medication in pregnancy.
Patient.co.uk / http://www.patient.co.uk/ / None needed / Independent health and medicines information, blogs and discussion forums aimed at patients and prescribers.
NHS Choices / http://www.nhs.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx / None needed / Information on health news stories.
Dosette box stability / SPS website
MCA stability database
https://www.sps.nhs.uk/ / None needed / Information on stability of medication when dispensed into a medicines compliance aid (MCA). Traffic light system but most drugs are “amber”.
Medline/Embase / HOWIS, e-library for health, databases
http://howis.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/878/page/31885 / personal Athens username and password / Used for performing a literature search to identify journal articles. Rarely needed due to databases such as Up To Date, NICE Evidence.