Resources with Free Access for NHS Medicines Information Services

June 2018
This is a list of resources that are freely accessible and considered useful to NHS MI services. It
includes free paper resources (e.g. BNF, drug tariff) and freely accessible websites via the Internet or via
National library arrangements. This list is not intended to be exhaustive. It is organised under general
subject headings and should be used in conjunction with ‘Resources for Purchase by NHS Medicines
Information Services’. Other UKMi resources give guidance on what resources to use when, e.g.
Enquiry Answering Guidelines. There is also guidance on the known risks associated with the use of
various resources, see Limitations of Common Information Sources.

UKMi are in the process of assuring the quality of the listed resources, all those listed are produced by
reputable/well known organisations. URLs are available via MiDatabank and are correct at the time of
publication but are liable to change. Where registration is required this is indicated. This document may
also be used to store details of your departmental usernames and passwords if you haven’t entered
them in MiDatabank. This can then be kept in an accessible place for all staff working in MI.
See also Internet and Medicines for guidance on how to assess the quality of a website.

Some electronic resources may not work properly on older versions of Internet Explorer. If this affects
you, try accessing the resource using an alternative browser, such as Google Chrome or Firefox.

UKMi are aware that various ‘Apps’ are available for health information resources. UKMi will not review
the content or functionality of such Apps. However, if an ‘App’ is available as another platform for an
already endorsed UKMi resource, this may be highlighted as being available. Further guidance on the
use of Apps in Medicines information can be accessed here.

Updating the List

The Essential Resources list will be updated on a quarterly basis and published on the SPS website.
Updates to the list will be reflected in the MiDatabank resource master list.
Suggestions for amendments to this document can be forwarded to laura.kearney@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or via
your Regional Centre. Any suggestions to amend central resources on MiDatabank should be
highlighted to a member of the Clinical Governance Working Group.

June 2018
 Changes since March 2018
Title Authors/ Publisher URL and general notes
Association of Association of Change: new resource
Paediatric Palliative Paediatric Palliative www.appm.org.uk/10.html
Medicine Master Medicine (APPM) (an App version of the Formulary is available via
Formulary 2017 https://ppcscm.co.uk/)
Risk Management of NHS Pharmaceutical Change: inclusion of existing resource
Medicines Stored in Quality Assurance www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/risk-management-of-medicines-stored-
Clinical Areas: Committee in-clinical-areas-temperature-control/
Temperature Control Includes information and principles for risk assessing fridge and
room temperature excursions
Herbal and MHRA Change: new resource (replacing previous MHRA link)
homeopathic https://www.gov.uk/topic/medicines-medical-devices-
medicines blood/herbal-homeopathic-medicines
Includes a list of herbal medicines granted a Traditional Herbal
Registration, and a list of banned/restricted herbal ingredients.
Medicines Q & As UKMi Change: url updated
www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/about-ukmi-medicines-qas/

June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher

British National Formulary
General
BMA and RPS One paper copy considered essential for each MI
(twice yearly) centre (only the September edition is published for
free; March edition only available for purchase).
Online access preferred as updated monthly
www.medicinescomplete.com/mc/bnf/current/
Note: BNF Legacy website remains available
through medicinescomplete.com

An App, combining both BNF and BNFC content, is

also available

DoH—Department of Health DoH https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/depar

tment-of-health

Drug Safety Update MHRA https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update

Individual articles are searchable using the search
box. An archive of the monthly PDF versions are
also available.
Drug Tariff The Stationery Only available online
Office (monthly) www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/edt_intro.htm

electronic Medicines Compendium DataPharm http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/

(eMC) Communications For access to SPCs, PILs, and risk minimisation
materials ( indicates where they are available)

EMBASE England: https://hdas.nice.org.uk/

(Athens password required)
Note: NICE YouTiube Help Video list available providing a guide
to using the new database:
https://hdas.nice.org.uk/help/#materials

Wales: http://howis.wales.nhs.uk

Scotland: www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/home.aspx
Medline England: http://www.library.nhs.uk/hdas
(Athens password required)
Note: NICE YouTiube Help Video list available providing a guide
to using the new database:
https://hdas.nice.org.uk/help/#materials

Wales: http://howis.wales.nhs.uk

Scotland: www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk/home.aspx

It is unclear how the HDAS platform is affecting searching in

Medline. NICE have been contacted and are aware that there
are potential issues with searching and they are investigating.
Therefore, if in any doubt, another platform (eg OVID) if available
locally or another database (eg PubMed) should be used.
PubMed Users Guides are available—See PubMed entry.

General
June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
Google search engine Google www.google.co.uk for general seach engine but
also use Google scholar for more academic focus
http://scholar.google.co.uk/

Medicines Q & As UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/about-ukmi-medicines-qas/

MHRA—Medicines & Healthcare
Regulatory Agency
Q & As can also be accessed via the NICE
evidence search www.evidence.nhs.uk
(filter by Type of information ‘Evidence Summaries’
and Source ‘SPS')
MHRA www.mhra.gov.uk
Note. SPCs and PILs can be directly accessed via:
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/spc-pil/index.htm

MIMS Haymarket Medical http://www.mims.co.uk/.

Monthly Index of Medical Specialities Pubs. Username and password required.
NB. Access free to MICs (contact Regional Centre
for details)
Netdoctor Collaboration of UK www.netdoctor.co.uk
and European www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/
healthcare For information about drugs, search the “Medicines”
professionals section rather than the whole site.

PubMed US National Library http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

of Medicine and Pubmed user guides are available for basic and
National Institutes MeSH searching.
of Health
OTC Directory Proprietary www.pagb.co.uk
Association of Free hard copies can also be ordered on-line
Great Britain
Resources to support answering UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-
medicines-related questions in North West content/uploads/2016/12/Resources-to-support-
primary care Regional MIC answering-medicines-related-questions-
Dec_2016.pdf
Collates reputable, free resources in primary care,
and some useful online resources requiring
subscription.

Specialist Pharmacy Service SPS www.sps.nhs.uk

(NHS England) Some areas are not public facing and require
registration to access.

UKMi UKMi www.ukmi.nhs.uk

UKMi Discussion Group Ecompass (host) http://list.ecompass.nl/listserv/cgi-bin/wa?A0=MI-UK

Adverse effects

June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
CHM—Commission on Human CHM/MHRA www.mhra.gov.uk/Committees/Medicinesadvisoryb
Medicines odies/CommissiononHumanMedicines/index.htm.
interactive Drug Analysis Profiles MHRA https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/idap
(iDAPs) for Yellow Card data

INCHEM International www.inchem.org/.

Programme on Toxicology information on chemicals and drugs.
Chemical Safety

TOXNET US National Library http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/. Toxicology information

Medicine including pregnancy related toxicity information.
Also links to LactMed (see below) for drugs in
lactation information.
G6PD website Associazione http://www.g6pd.org/.
Italiana Favismo Associazione Italiana Favismo is affiliated with
UNIAMO, Italian Federation for Rare Diseases,
which is member of EURORDIS, European
Organization for Rare Diseases.
This site should not be used in isolation for g6pd
queries; no single resource is comprehensive. This
site contains lists of safe and unsafe drugs and also
attempts to quantify risk (low vs. high).

Availability
IDIS World Medicines IDIS World www.idispharma.com
Medicines
Durbin PLC Durbin PLC www.durbin.co.uk
Pro-file Database Guy’s and St Sourcing unlicensed ‘special’ medicines. www.pro-
Thomas’ Hospital file.nhs.uk. Registration required.
NHS Trust

Complementary Medicine
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Integrative http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-
Centre Medicine Service medicine/about-herbs-botanicals-other-products
Information for patients is also available

Herbal and homeopathic medicines MHRA https://www.gov.uk/topic/medicines-medical-

Q&A 11.7: Considerations when
addressing questions about potential
for adverse effects and drug
interactions with homeopathic
remedies
devices-blood/herbal-homeopathic-medicines
Includes a list of herbal medicines granted a
Traditional Herbal Registration, and a list of
banned/restricted herbal ingredients.
UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk
Complementary In the absence of good quality and unbiased
Medicines resources within this field, this document contains
Specialist Service the key information regarding the principles and
considerations of homeopathic practice. Access
here.

Contraception and Hormone Replacement Therapy

June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
IPPF Directory of Hormonal International http://contraceptive.ippf.org
Contraceptives Planned Registration required. Can be used to identify
Parenthood foreign contraceptive pills.
Federation
Family Planning Association Family Planning www.fpa.org.uk
Association
Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Royal College of www.fsrh.org/home/
Healthcare Obstetricians and Useful guidelines including choice of a
Gynaecologists contraceptive agent at different ages, in breast
feeding, inflammatory bowel disease, interactions,
missed pills and using pills outside their product
licence, EHC and product reviews.

Dermatology
Dermnet New Zealand www.dermnetnz.org/
Dermatological A useful starting point for background information
Society and advice for dermatological enquiries.
British Association of Dermatologists www.bad.org.uk/

Primary Care Dermatology Society http://www.pcds.org.uk/

Guidelines and PILs specifically targeted at
dermatology issues in primary care.

Diagnostic tests
Labtests online Collaboration of www.labtestsonline.org.uk/.
professional Patient orientated.
societies and
supported by the
Department of
Health

Drug abuse
Drug Misuse and Dependence— Department of https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/upl
Guidelines on Clinical Management Health (July 2017) oads/attachment_data/file/628634/clinical_guideline
(The Orange Guide) s_2017.pdf
DrugWise DrugWise http://www.drugwise.org.uk/
National Institute on Drug Abuse The National www.drugabuse.gov/
Institute on Drug
Abuse (US)
Talk to Frank DoH / Home Office www.talktoFrank.com
NEPTUNE. Novel Psychoactive Novel Psychoactive http://neptune-clinical-guidance.co.uk/
Treatment: UK Network (Clinical Treatment UK Developed to improve clinical practice in the
Guidance) Network. management of harms resulting from the use of
Funded by the club drugs and novel psychoactive substances
Health Foundation
Availability of novel psychoactive substances and
club drugs rapidly evolves and therefore information
on the website may not be completely reflective of
what is currently being used

June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher

Drug administration
UKMi recommends all centres have access to good quality IV administration guidance

IMG—Injectable Medicines Guide Health of Wales http://medusa.wales.nhs.uk or www.injguide.nhs.uk.

(Medusa) Information Service NB. Available free to contributing Trusts and all
Trusts in Wales & N Ireland. Note also contains
information on paediatric intravenous drug
administration, intramuscular administration, and
ocular injections.

Stabilis Compiled by http://www.stabilis.org/

hospital Compatibility and stability data to supplement other
pharmacists in resources.
France

Drug interactions
HIV Drug Interactions University of www.hiv-druginteractions.org
Liverpool
Hepatitis drug interactions University of www.hep-druginteractions.org
Liverpool
Cancer Drug Interactions Radboud University http://cancer-druginteractions.org/checker
Medical Centre,
Netherlands and
University of
Liverpool, UK
CredibleMeds US education https://www.crediblemeds.org/
(QT prolongation) organisation List drugs that prolong the QT Interval and/or
AZCERT induce Torsades de Pointes by risk category.
Registration required.

Medscape drug interaction checker Medscape www.medscape.com/druginfo/druginterchecker

Drugs.com interactions checker
Registration required.
Cerner Multum http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html
To be used only after other approved sources have
been used. Useful for information not readily
available in UK sources.

Transformer website Institute for http://bioinformatics.charite.de/transformer/

(Cytochrome P450 database) Physiology; To be used only as a supplementary resource.
Structural Clinical significance of the interactions is not
Bioinformatics identified.
Group, Berlin

Endocrinology Handbook
Endocrinology
Imperial Centre for www.imperialendo.co.uk/Bible2016.htm
Endocrinology Should not replace local guidelines, but may
supplement information on rarer conditions where
local guidance does not exist, and standard
reference sources lack information

Evidence Based Medicine

June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
Evidence Search—Health and Social NICE www.evidence.nhs.uk.
care A search engine for evidence in health, social care
and public health.
For tips on using Evidence Search, click here.
Bandolier Pain Research www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier
Group N.B. It doesn’t look as if this site has been updated
Oxford for some time. Still useful for explanations of terms
e.g. NNT etc but do not use for evidence.
The Cochrane Library The Cochrane http://www.cochranelibrary.com/
Foundation
John Wiley & Sons
Medicines and Prescribing Centre NICE http://www.nice.org.uk/mpc/index.jsp
New site following integration of the former National
Prescribing Centre into NICE.
NICE NICE www.nice.org.uk
National Institute for Health and Care
Excellence
CKS NICE http://cks.nice.org.uk/
Clinical Knowledge Summaries
SIGN—Scottish Intercollegiate SIGN www.sign.ac.uk
Guidelines Network
WeMeRec Bulletins Welsh Medicines www.wemerec.org
Resource Centre
HTA assessments National Institute www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/#/
for Health Many of these evaluations inform NICE guidance
Research
Centre for Reviews and University of York www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/
Dissemination
Trip Database Jon Brassey (editor) https://www.tripdatabase.com/
Clinical search engine to find high-quality
research evidence.
Can register for free for additional functionality

Infections
The Green Book Immunisation DoH https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/publi
Against Infectious Disease c-health-england/series/immunisation-against-
infectious-disease-the-green-book

NHS Immunisation Information Public Health https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/publi

England c-health-england/series/immunisation

Public Health England Gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/publi

c-health-england
Replaces the Health Protection Agency site

Lactation
At least two resources should be used for all lactation enquiries.
See also Resources for purchase list.
June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
LactMed US National Library https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/newtoxnet/lactmed.htm
of Medicine

UKMi Drugs in Lactation database UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk

Trent and West Check information held in the monograph entry first,
Midlands Regional then check information held in Therapeutic Group
Centres Summary.
For further guidance refer to the specific User
Guide: www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/ukdilas/

Legal and ethical

Medicines, Ethics and Practice: A RPS www.rpharms.com/law-and-ethics/medicines-
guide for pharmacists and pharmacy ethics-and-practice-guide.asp
technicians Only free to RPS members.

Liver impairment
LiverTox Specialist branches https://livertox.nih.gov
of NIDDK and NLM This resource is a joint venture between the Liver
Disease Research Branch of the National Institute
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK) and the Division of Specialized Information
Services of the National Library of Medicine (NLM),
National Institutes of Health

New products
NDO UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk
New Drugs Online Some information only accessible via registering
with the website.
Also contains links to Evidence Based Evaluations.
New Product Evaluations—a resource UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk
for medicines management North West Document is updated monthly. Pulls together
Regional MIC available medicines evaluations produced by
reputable groups.
Patents Database UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk
Information only accessible via registering with the
website
Prescribing Outlook UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk

Scottish medicines Consortium (SMC) SMC www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/

reviews
All Wales Medicines Strategy Group AWMSG www.awmsg.org
(AWMSG) reviews
European Medicines Agency EMA www.ema.europa.eu

Paediatrics

June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title
BNF for Children
Paediatric Formulary
Medicines for Children
Palliative Adult Network Guidelines
(PANG)
Palliative Care Matters
Palliativedrugs.com
(Palliative Care Formulary on-line)
Association of Paediatric Palliative
Medicine Master Formulary 2017
June 2018
Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
BMA, RPSGB, One paper copy considered essential for each MI
RCPCH & NPPG centre (published annually). Online access
(annual) preferred as updated monthly.
www.medicinescomplete.com/mc/bnfc/current/
Note: BNFC Legacy website remains available
through medicinescomplete.com
An App, combining both BNF and BNFC content, is
also available
Paediatric The formulary is now hosted on:
Formulary http://cms.ubqo.com/public/d2595446-ce3c-47ff-
Committee 9dcc-63167d9f4b80
Updates will happen monthly, rather than there
being editions. The 9th edition (previously Guy’s
Paediatric Formulary) may still be accessible, but
this is not the official version and will no longer be
updated.
An App (currently only on iphone) is also available:
http://www.ubqo.com/paediatricformulary
Partnership http://www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk/.
RCPCH, NPPG Also contains patient information leaflets.
and WellChild.
Palliative care
Developed by a http://book.pallcare.info/.
collaboration of UK This should be used as a core resource in
Cancer networks preference to the print version, but not the
electronic version, of Palliative Care Formulary (see
below).
Network of http://m.pallcare.info
Palliative Care This is a mobile site (Smartphones and Tablets) but
healthcare is also suitable for desktop access using the latest
professionals. versions of Internet browsers.
Use in preference to PANG for syringe driver
compatibilities
Robert Twycross & www.palliativedrugs.com
Andrew Wilcock (Registration required), but the syringe driver
tables are freely available using login (click on
SDSD tab).
Association of www.appm.org.uk/10.html
Paediatric Palliative (an App version of the Formulary is available via
Medicine (APPM) https://ppcscm.co.uk/)
Patient Information
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
NHS Choices Gov.uk http://www.nhs.uk

Patient UK Patient Information www.patient.co.uk.

Publications/ Egton This site has useful healthcare professional pages
Medical Information (see Therapeutics section below).
Systems

Pharmaceutical
The Fridge Database UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk
Northwick Park MIC
Medicines Compliance Aid (MCA) UKMi www.sps.nhs.uk
database SouthWest MIC

Risk Management of Medicines NHS www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/risk-management-of-

Stored in Clinical Areas: Temperature Pharmaceutical medicines-stored-in-clinical-areas-temperature-
Control Quality Assurance control/
Committee Information and principles for risk assessing fridge
and room temperature excursions [log in to view]

Pregnancy
At least two resources should be used for all pregnancy enquiries.
See also Resources for purchase list.
TOXBASE UKTIS* UK www.toxbase.org
Teratology Registration required.
Information Service Monographs not suitable as patient information
leaflets—see BUMPs.
The summary information of the Toxbase
monographs are openly available from
http://www.uktis.org/
Royal College of Obstetrics and Royal College of https://www.rcog.org.uk
Gynaecology Obstetrics and A range of guidelines on women’s health is
Gynaecology available.
BUMPS—Best use of medicines in UKTIS www.medicinesinpregnancy.org.
pregnancy Produced by UKTIS. Provides information
factsheets (containing essentially the same
information as Toxbase) suitable for members of
the public which can be used in discussion with a
health care provider.  Inclusion on this list does not
endorse its use by patients without such support.

Poisoning
TOXBASE National Poisons www.toxbase.org
Information Service Registration required.
(NPIS) For acute poisoning or for complex cases, refer
directly to the Poisons Information Service:
0344 892 0111.
Before using the website, it is advisable to complete
the e-learning modules available at
www.toxlearning.co.uk

Statistics
June 2018
 Resources with Free Access For NHS MI Services
Title Authors/ URL and general notes
Publisher
Statistics in Divided Doses North West MIC www.ukmi.nhs.uk/activities/Research/default.asp?
UKMi pageRef=27
Currently under review

Patient UK
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and
Treatment
Faculty of Pain Medicine
National Organization for Rare
Diseases (NORD)
Therapeutics
Patient Information www.patient.co.uk.
Publications / Egton After putting a term in the search box you will have
Medical Information a list of resources to choose from. Those with an
Systems apple and a plus sign are written for healthcare
professionals and are an excellent resource with
the following general headings: presentation,
diagnosis, aetiology, epidemiology, assessment,
management etc.
Berkow, R et al www.merckmanuals.com/professional/index.html.
Merck and Co. The latest edition can also be purchased as a hard
copy. Some topics have also been written for
patients.
Royal College of www.rcoa.ac.uk/faculty-of-pain-medicine
Anaesthetists A range of guidelines and PILs are available
https://rarediseases.org/
Patient focussed database providing descriptions
for rare diseases

Malaria Reference Laboratory
Travel Health Pro
(NaTHNaC)
Health Advice for Travellers
Travel
Public Health www.gov.uk/government/collections/malaria-
England reference-laboratory-mrl
National Travel http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/
Health Network and The website is suitable for both healthcare
Centre/Public professionals and travellers. Advice may differ from
Health England that in other sources (i.e. Travax, Fit for Travel).
However, all advice is evidence based. It is advised
that one resource only is used in these
circumstances.
NHS England http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/Healthcareabroad/pa
ges/Healthcareabroad.aspx

Fit for Travel Provided by NHS www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.

Scotland. Public access site for sister site Travax.
This advice is based on that produced by NHS
Scotland and may differ from advice in other
sources (i.e. Travel Health Pro). However, all
advice is evidence based. It is advised that one
resource only is used in these circumstances.

Wound management and dressings

Dressings.org Surgical Materials www.dressings.org
Testing Laboratory NB website last modified Nov 2011

June 2018