Where To Find Accurate Medication Information

Gone are the days of the Pharmacist calling you over to explain the side effects of your medication, for that matter most of the time I don’t even get the sheet that has a brief explanation of the side effects. This puts the responsibility on us and it’s imperative we take the time to understand all the nuances of each medication we take.

And speaking of medication, it’s important to know what supplements can affect your medication. There are many common supplements that not only have serious side effects but that also counteract your medication. St. John’s Wart is one. The site I’m talking about in this post won’t give all the information on supplements, you’ll have to research them on the internet. Be sure to look for a credible site like WebMD or Healthline.

Social media is the last place to go for information, when looking for accurate information, you want to hear it out of the manufacturer’s mouth. It’s called the Prescribing Information. This is all the information provided to the FDA in order to get approval for the drug.

You don’t need to read all about the clinical trials, the drug’s half-life, and every detail but the side effects are important.

In America, you can go to FDA.gov for Prescribing Information straight from the manufacturer.

Once at the site:

Midway down the page to Drugs, click.

Then Drug Approvals, and Databases, click.

Scroll down to Drugs@FDA Search, click.

You’ll see a search section and a place you can search by alphabet as well. Type in the name of the drug.

In my search I went to Abilify, then you’re given a choice, I picked the oral type and clicked.

This takes me to several documents I can click on, the one I wanted was the Medication guide.

Down towards the bottom of the side effects it talks about serious side effects. This is what you want to be familiar with. Your doctor probably covered some of the most common but if you take a drug for a long time it’s good to have a refresher course.

This information is directly from the manufacturer, not some site on the internet.

Know what you’re taking and be sure to share an updated list of all drugs and supplements you take with each doctor, every time. I also keep one in my handbag, by my driver’s license in case of emergency.

You can also find information about recalls, adverse events, and medical devices on the site.

Melinda