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Concise & Evidence-Based Sources of Pharmaceutical Information
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The following are concise and up-to-date sources of independent, peer-reviewed, and evidence-based information on pharmaceuticals. The American Medical Student Association recognizes that pharmaceutical companies provide a valuable resource for research and development of new and potentially life-saving medications; we also recognize that the industry provides SALES representatives to give sales pitches to doctors. We thus encourage all physicians-in-training and healthcare providers to seek out evidence-based and unbiased sources of information from reliable, non-industry personnel.
All sources below are updated by expert advisory board members with no ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Most medical centers have institutional subscriptions or discounts for many of these sources.
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Cost |
Version |
PDA |
Freq |
National Guideline Clearinghouse
A public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines updated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). |
Free |
Online |
No |
Daily |
Medical Letter
Critically appraisals new drugs and prescribing recommendations based on expert consensus. Treatment Guidelines offer monthly recommendations for first choice and alternative drugs in a therapeutic class based on effectiveness, cost, safety and usages. |
$89/yr |
Online, Print, PDA |
Yes |
Twice monthly |
Prescriber's Letter
Subscription service for prescribers to keep them up-to-date on new developments in drug therapy. Prescribers receive very short, concise updates and more in-depth articles written by experts in the field. |
$88/yr |
Online, Print |
Yes |
Month |
Therapeutics Letter (Canada)
Established in 1994 by the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia to provide up-to-date, evidence-based, practical information on rational drug therapy. Systematically assesses each new drug and whether it offers and advantage over existing drugs. |
Free |
Online |
No |
Bi-monthly |
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (UK)
Gives independent evaluations of, and practical advice on, individual treatments and the management of disease. Also some information for patients. |
£49 |
Soon online |
No |
Month |
Infopoems
An online and PDA service that offers a continuous survey of the top worldwide medical journals then summarize the most valid and clinically-applicable new evidence. Provides Mon-Friday e-mail synopsis, monthly detailed review, and a searchable database. |
$249 |
Online |
Yes |
Daily |
Cochrane Database
Cochrane reviews are based on the best available information about healthcare interventions. They explore the evidence for and against the effectiveness and appropriateness of treatments in specific circumstances. Complete reviews are available via CD or internet, and are available at virtually every medical library. |
$265 |
Online, CD |
No |
4/year |
Consumer Union Best Buy Drugs
Part of the Consumer Union's goal to "fill a gap in the public's knowledge about the effectiveness and safety of prescription drugs and how drugs given for illnesses compared with each other'. It also gives patients a better idea about how much drugs cost, including the comparative value of prescription drugs, and has condensed and long versions of reports.
- Wallet Cards to Give to Patients (1.5MB PDF) |
Free |
Online, Print |
No |
<1/ month |
The RxFiles
The RxFiles summarizes key therapeutic points and compares relative efficacy, safety, and cost. Therapeutic selection tables and summary recommendations are included for quick reference. |
Free |
Online |
No |
Quarterly |
Other websites of interest regarding pharmaceutical industry's interaction with physicians:
WHY USE UNBIASED SOURCES FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUG INFORMATION?
Doctors are influenced … even if they don't think so
Avorn J, Chen M, Hartley R. "Scientific versus commercial sources of influence on the prescribing behavior of physicians." Am J Med. 1982; 73(1): 4-8.
Kerr SJ, Mant A, Horn FE, McGeechan K, and Sayer GP. "Lessons from early large-scale adoption of celecoxib and rofecoxib by Australian general practitioners." Med J Australia 2003; 179 (8): 403-407.
Gill KS, Katz ED, Mahoney H. "Abstract: Effect of Pharmaceutical Representatives on Prescribing Practices of an Emergency Medicine Residency." Acad Emerg Med. 2003; 10:424.
Sigworth SK, Nettleman MD, Cohen GM. "Pharmaceutical Branding of Resident Physicians." JAMA. 2001;286:1024-1025.
Drug reps are factually inaccurate
Shaughnessy AF, Slawson DC, Bennett JH. "Separating the wheat from the chaff: identifying fallacies in pharmaceutical promotion." J Gen Intern Med. 1994; 9(10): 563-568.
Articles funded by drug companies show bias
Melander H, Ahlqvist-Rastad J, Meijer G, Beermann B. "Evidence b(i)ased medicine--selective reporting from studies sponsored by pharmaceutical industry: review of studies in new drug applications." BMJ. 2003 May 31;326(7400):1171-3.
Lexchin J, Bero LA, Djulbegovic B, Clark O. "Pharmaceutical industry sponsorship and research outcome and quality: systematic review." BMJ. 2003 May 31;326(7400):1167-70.
Als-Nielsen B, Chen W, Gluud C, Kjaergard LL. "Association of funding and conclusions in randomized drug trials: a reflection of treatment effect or adverse events?" JAMA 2003 Aug 20;290(7):921-8.
Bhandari M, Busse JW, Jackowski D, Montori VM, Schunemann H, Sprague S, Mears D, Schemitsch EH, Heels-Ansdell D, Devereaux PJ. "Association between industry funding and statistically significant pro-industry findings in medical and surgical randomized trials." CMAJ 2004 170: 477-480.
Patients are wary of their doctors meeting with drug reps
Gibbons RV, Landry FJ, Blouch DL, Jones DL, Williams FK, Lucey CR, Kroenke K. "A comparison of physicians' and patients' attitudes toward pharmaceutical industry gifts." J Gen Intern Med. 1998 Mar;13(3):151-4.
Blake RL Jr, Early EK. "Patients' attitudes about gifts to physicians from pharmaceutical companies." J Am Board Fam Pract. 1995 Nov-Dec;8(6):457-64.
Mainous AG 3rd, Hueston WJ, Rich EC. "Patient perceptions of physician acceptance of gifts from the pharmaceutical industry." Arch Fam Med. 1995 Apr;4(4):335-9.
CME sponsored by drug companies is skewed
Wazana A. "Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: is a gift ever just a gift?" JAMA. 2000; 283:373-380.
Lexchin J. "Interactions between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: what does the literature say?" CMAJ 1993;149(10):1401-7.
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