Students who wish to review the field of pharmacology in preparation for an examination are referred to Pharmacology: Examination and Board Review, by Trevor, Katzung, and Kruidering-Hall (McGraw-Hill, 2015). This book provides approximately 1000 questions and explanations in USMLE format. A short study guide is USMLE Road Map: Pharmacology, by Katzung and Trevor (McGraw-Hill, 2006). Road Map contains numerous tables, figures, mnemonics, and USMLE-type clinical vignettes.
The references at the end of each chapter in this book were selected to provide reviews or classic publications of information specific to those chapters. More detailed questions relating to basic or clinical research are best answered by referring to the journals covering general pharmacology and clinical specialties. For the student and the physician, three periodicals can be recommended as especially useful sources of current information about drugs:
CHAPTER 1 Introduction: The Nature of Drugs & Drug Development & Regulation
The New England Journal of Medicine, which publishes much original drug-related clinical research as well as frequent reviews of topics in pharmacology; The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, which publishes brief critical reviews of new and old therapies; and Prescriber’s Letter, a monthly comparison of new and older drug therapies with much useful advice. On the Internet/World Wide Web, two sources can be particularly recommended: the Cochrane Collaboration and the FDA site (see reference list below).
Other sources of information pertinent to the United States should be mentioned as well. The “package insert” is a summary of information that the manufacturer is required to place in the prescription sales package; Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR) is a compendium of package inserts published annually with supplements twice a year. It is sold in bookstores and distributed to licensed physicians. The package insert consists of a brief description of the pharmacology of the product. This brochure contains much practical information, but also lists every toxic effect ever reported, no matter how rare, thus shifting responsibility for adverse drug reactions from the manufacturer to the prescriber. Micromedex and Lexi-Comp are extensive subscription websites. They provide downloads for personal digital assistant devices, online drug dosage and interaction information, and toxicologic information. A useful and objective quarterly handbook that presents information on drug toxicity and interactions is Drug Interactions: Analysis and Management. Finally, the FDA maintains an Internet website that carries news regarding recent drug approvals, withdrawals, warnings, etc. It can be accessed at http://www.fda.gov. The MedWatch drug safety program is a free e-mail notification service that provides news of FDA drug warnings and withdrawals. Subscriptions may be obtained at https://service.govdelivery.com/service/user. html?code=USFDA.
Alexander SPH et al: The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2015/16:
Overview. Br J Pharmacol 2015;172:5729. Avorn J: Debate about funding comparative effectiveness research. N Engl J Med 2009;360:1927. Avorn J: Powerful Medicines: The Benefits and Risks and Costs of Prescription Drugs.
Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Bauchner H, Fontanarosa PB: Restoring confidence in the pharmaceutical industry. JAMA 2013;309:607. Bhatt DL, Mehta C: Clinical trials series: Adaptive designs for clinical trials.
N Engl J Med 2016;375:65.
Boutron I et al: Reporting and interpretation of randomized controlled trials with statistically nonsignificant results for primary outcomes. JAMA 2010;303:2058.
Brown WA: The placebo effect. Sci Am 1998;1:91.
Cochrane Collaboration website. www.thecochranelibrary.com.