EMBARGO UNTIL MARCH 19, 2001
CONTACT: Connie Hofmann (215) 521-8511; [email protected]
ST. LOUIS--March 19, 2001 -- The widespread practice of prescribing off-label drugs has helped thousands of patients address medical problems from sexual dysfunction to the common cold. Now, for the first time, these efforts are supported by an unbiased publication from the industry leader in drug information. Facts & Comparisons(tm) announces the launch of Off-Label Drug Facts, the first source of drug information completely dedicated to unlabeled drug use.
"While unlabeled drug uses are cited in assorted medical journals and research tools, Off-Label Drug Facts provides a single information source with unbiased ratings of off-label uses," said Steve Hebel, RPh, President and CEO of Facts & Comparisons. "Drug companies are appropriately regulated on the claims they can make regarding off-label usage, but we are in a unique position to provide practitioners with the facts they need to improve patient outcomes."
Off-Label Drug Facts details unlabeled drug use for different patient populations, indications, dosage form and dosages. Each monograph has a summary text section and a comparison table, which include the background of the off-label use, the study design, the dosage and duration used, study results, safety, and therapy considerations, in addition to full citations for references used and suggestions for further reading. Each usage is evaluated with a documentation rating of 1-5 based on the significance of the research evidence.
One drug featured in Off-Label Drug Facts is sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra; its use for sexual dysfunction in women is discussed. This popular impotence drug for men has been a best seller since entering the market in 1998. Studies have been completed evaluating the drug's use with women, but the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the drug for female patients. Off-Label Drug Facts documents all studies conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this off-label usage.
Features of Off-Label Drug Facts include:- Quarterly updating- Unbiased review- A practitioner focus to ensure appropriateness of care- Documentation rating based on benefit of therapy, scope of studies, and acceptance of use- Formulas included for medications requiring compounding- Fully referenced- Suggested readings provided
This first-of-its-kind publication is available in a loose-leaf format, updated quarterly, and is priced at $175 for an annual subscription. To purchase Off-Label Drug Facts, or for further information, visit www.factsandcomparisons.com or call 1-800-223-0554.
Facts and Comparisons is the most trusted provider of current, accurate, and unbiased drug information for healthcare professionals. For more than half a century, healthcare professionals have relied on Drug Facts and Comparisons as their first-line reference drug information source. To meet evolving customer demands for electronic resources, Facts and Comparisons provides its drug information library via hand held applications, CD-ROM, Internet and Intranet applications and integratable databases -- in addition to the bound publications and updated loose-leaf references that have been the accepted standard for many years. Facts and Comparisons is a Wolters Kluwer International Health Science Company, a leading global provider of health and science information.
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