ASHP Publishes AHFS Drug Information 2014 Edition

PRESS RELEASE

3/4/2014-- The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has released the 2014 edition of AHFS Drug Information (AHFS DI), the nation’s leading compendium of unbiased and authoritative drug information.

This highly respected reference is the only printed compendium designated by the U.S. Congress as a source for reimbursement for off-label uses. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and numerous healthcare insurance providers have also recognized the authority of the reference as a source of information on the medically accepted uses of drugs. Both the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and the American College of Physicians have listed AHFS DI as a recommended item for inclusion in reference libraries.

Each year the monographs are updated to include revised information on uses, cautions, drug interactions, and therapeutic perspectives. The new edition has been expanded by 34 monographs and existing monographs have been extensively revised, including updates of major cautionary information from FDA MedWatch notices, such as:

• More specific subgroupings of certain drugs along therapeutic and pharmacologic lines;
• A comprehensive revision of the cephalosporins class of antibiotics;
• Incorporation of revised American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendations on the management of preterm labor;
• Comprehensive update of antifungal monographs to address their use in the treatment of Exerohilum rostratum infections;
• Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) information was revised to reflect various changes as well as rescinded REMS.

Drug monographs in AHFS DI are thoroughly researched by a staff of drug information pharmacists and other professional editorial and analytical staff. Authors incorporate clinical research findings, therapeutic guidelines, and Food and Drug Administration-approved labeling to draft monographs. The accuracy of the drug information is also enhanced by the expert advice of a panel of hundreds of reviewers, including leading medical scientists, physicians, pharmacists, pharmacologists, and other clinicians.

“It’s critical that clinicians have evidence-based data to make prescribing decisions,” said Gerald K. McEvoy, Pharm.D., editor-in-chief of AHFS DI and ASHP assistant vice president of drug information. “That is why ASHP has dedicated itself to making this important information available for over 55 years.”

AHFS is available in print and through several partners in mobile and online platforms. Purchasing information is available on the AHFS Drug Information website. The DI databases can also be licensed for use in clinical decision support systems.

The AHFS website is newly updated and now mobile friendly. It provides subscribers with electronic updates and additional drug monographs, as well as offers and information on the latest products from AHFS.

For more information on AHFS Drug Information or any other items in the AHFS product line, call ASHP Customer Service at (866) 279-0681 or visit www.ahfsdruginformation.com. Follow AHFS on Twitter @AHFSDI and on Facebook.