Get set for the net

Get set for the net Web sites on adverse drug reactions and drug interactions Vinay Gopalani Consultant Dermatologist, Thane, Mumbai, India.

Address for correspondence: Thane Skin Centre, 1, Yogesh, Near Vandana Talkies, Extended Rammaruti Road, Thane (W), Mumbai 400602, India. E-mail: [email protected]

Adverse effects are the prime health hazards of prescription drugs. In order to manage an adverse drug reaction it is important to be aware of all possible drug reactions and drug interactions. However, given the current scenario of a new drug a day, it is impossible to keep track of all reports of reactions. This is where the web comes to the rescue. The following sites provide information on adverse drug reactions and drug interactions. ADVERSE DRUG REACTION DATABASE

1. http://www.cbc.ca/news/adr/database/ Canada’s Adverse Drug Reaction Database uses data collected from 1965 to Sept. 30, 2003. It contains information from all adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports currently held in Canada’s CADRIS (Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Information System) database which is used to monitor adverse drug reactions in drugs approved for the Canadian market. This is the only database that lists all known adverse events to a particular drug. It is totally free and can be used with generic as well as trade names.

DRUG INFORMATION DATABASES

1. http://www.drugs.com/ Drugs.com provides a free drug information service to consumers to better understand how medicines work: their uses, side effects and potential to interact with other medicines. Three independent leading medical-information suppliers power the Drugs.com drug information database: Physicians’ Desk Reference, Cerner Multum and Thomson Micromedex. Hence, the information is accurate and current. 2. http://www.medscape.com/druginfo Medscape provides clinicians with a reliable source of information that is relevant to their patients and practice. One can do a drug information search using the generic name or the American trade name. This provides comprehensive information about the drug including the adverse effects. There is also a detailed monograph of the drug and a patient information handout for all drugs.

How to cite this article: Gopalani V. Web sites on adverse drug reactions and drug interactions. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2005;71:60-2. Received: November, 2004. Accepted: December, 2004. Source of Support: Nil. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol Januar y-Februar y 2005 Vol 71 Issue 1

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Gopalani V: Adverse drug reactions and drug interactions

2. http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ ChooseDrugs

DRUG INTERACTION DATABASES

1. http://www.medscape.com/druginfo/druginter checker?cid=med What would you check before prescribing an oral antifungal to a patient who is already on metformin, a beta blocker, an anticoagulant and dietar y supplements? This scenario is very common. To prevent any drug interactions we need to be careful about what we prescribe in patients who are already on medications. Help comes in the form of this medscape drug interaction website. One has to only type in the names of the drugs the patient is taking and the ones that you intend to prescribe to see a list of all possible drug interactions. This site requires a Flash plug-in that has to be downloaded, but is very fast. Internet enabled clinics can access such sites while writing out a prescription. 2. http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs This is a similar site that boasts of a database of over 5000 drugs and over 11000 drug interactions. It does not require a flash plug-in and is hence a little slower. It also shows interactions between some allopathic and herbal preparations. It also checks the interaction between drugs and food or alcohol. ADVERSE REACTIONS AND DRUG INTERACTIONS TO HERBAL MEDICINES

1. http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/ 8513/31402.html Many patients use herbal medicines along with the prescribed ones. To know more about herbal medicines and their interactions with allopathic ones, the Intelihealth site could be a starter. It has an index of herbal medicines and supplements and provides hyperlinked access to the scientific data underlying the use of herbs for health. Members of the faculty of Harvard Medical School serve on the site’s editorial board, so the content is accurate.

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This site also gives interactions between herbal and allopathic medicines. ADVERSE DRUG REACTION BULLETINS

1. http://www.tga.gov.au/adr/aadrb.htm This site is an offshoot of the Australian Government’s Department of Health. The Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin is produced six times a year by the Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee. It has online bulletins from 1995 till 2004. Many important drug reactions and interactions are discussed in each bulletin. 2. http://www.who.int/druginformation/ This is the World Health Organization site of the Drug Information Bulletin. It has important drug related information including interactions and adverse effect information from around the globe. The journal is published quarterly and is available in the acrobat (pdf) format. INDIAN ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS REPORTING SITES

There is no Indian adverse drug event database or bulletin that can be accessed online, but one can report adverse drug events and ask for information about a specific drug reaction at these sites. 1. http://www.mspcindia.org/dic This is the Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council’s Drug Information Centre. It is an evolving site that holds a few useful resources. One section encourages you to report adverse drug reactions encountered in your practice. It also has a form for drug enquiry that is answered by the department using its vast database.

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol Januar y-Februar y 2005 Vol 71 Issue 1

Gopalani V: Adverse drug reactions and drug interactions

2. http://www.cdsco.nic.in/ This is the Central Drug Standard Control Organization site belonging to the Ministry of

Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It has an adverse drug reaction reporting link that has an ADR reporting format (http://www.cdsco.nic.in/ adr2.pdf).

Announcement

IJDVL OMBUDSMAN A. K. Bajaj Starting from this year, we will be having Dr. A. K. Bajaj as the IJDVL ombudsman to take care of any complaints of editorial misconduct. Hence, if any of the authors have any complaints about editorial misconduct, e.g. rejection of articles or delay in publication, they may please refer these to IJDVL ombudsman, Dr. A. K. Bajaj at the address below. Dr. A. K. Bajaj, IJDVL Ombudsman, Bajaj Skin Clinic, # 3/6 Pannalal Road, Allahabad - 211001, India.

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol Januar y-Februar y 2005 Vol 71 Issue 1

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