Module 1: Professional Accountability and Prescribing

Lesson 4

Drug databases

Drug databases are useful tools when prescribing any medication. Three databases are discussed here that support CDS prescribing and management.

National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA)

NAPRA is an association comprised of the provincial/territorial pharmacy regulators and the Canadian Forces Pharmacy Services. The NAPRA website contains a link to the National Drug Schedules and Natural Herb Products that is a useful resource for providers and prescribers.

Explore these schedules by selecting your topic of interest from the drop down menu under National Drug Schedules on the toolbar or select “Search Drug Schedules” to find information on a specific medication.

Health Canada’s Drug Product Database

Similar to the NAPRA database, the Health Canada Drug Product Database lists medications by various search criteria including drug identification number, product name, route of administration, and manufacturer.

Government of Canada Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD) Database

The NNHPD database does not contain controlled drugs and substances but like the others listed above, this resource can help prescribers and providers locate important information about drugs that clients may be using that could interact positively or negatively with their prescribed controlled drugs and substances.