PharmGuide: Your Guide to Free Online Drug Information

Abstract

PharmGuide <http://goo.gl/f14Me>is an annotated directory of high quality, freely available, online drug information resources intended for use by librarians, pharmacists, and the public. Given the plethora of drug information websites with varying levels of authoritativeness and accuracy, PharmGuide is intended to facilitate the search for resources by providing links to only those sources that have been critically appraised and that meet specific quality criteria. Methods used in developing the site, evidence of its utility based on usage statistics, and examples of its application in practice are presented within the context of the drug information landscape.

KEYWORDS:

• Drug information
• free resources
• pathfinder
• PharmGuide

Acknowledgments

This article is based on a poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association, May 21, 2012.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy J. Chatfield

Amy J. Chatfield, MLS ([email protected]) is Information Services Librarian, Norris Medical Library, University of Southern California, 2003 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9130.

Trish Chatterley

Trish Chatterley, MLIS ([email protected]) is Collection Manager/Public Services Librarian, John W. Scott Health Sciences Library, 2K3.28 Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2R7.

Jean L. Siebert

Jean L. Siebert, MLS, MBA, AHIP ([email protected]) is Collection Manager/Reference Librarian, Health Sciences Library, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 9801, Morgantown, WV 26506-9801.

Jonathan Koffel

Jonathan Koffel, MSI ([email protected]) is Clinical Information Librarian, Health Sciences Libraries, 314 Diehl Hall, University of Minnesota, 505 Essex Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0334.