3.15 Drug Monograph Information

General Policy Description

The following monographs are available on PharmaNet:

• Patient education monographs
• Counselling message monographs
• Drug-to-drug Interaction monographs, if implemented by the pharmacy software vendor

Policy Details

Patient education monographs

Drug monograph information for patients is supplied by First Databank (FDB) and is sometimes augmented by the CPBC. Optional access to generic-equivalent information is also available through the same PharmaNet transaction. These monographs can be printed for the client. 

• Patient education monographs assist pharmacists in counselling patients about proper use and side effects of medications. The information is presented in language that is easy to understand
• The education long monograph explains the reasons for taking the medication, how it should be taken, potential side effects, and how to handle missed doses. It also details precautions required when taking the medication, potential drug interactions, and proper storage

Counselling message monographs

Counselling message monographs are available in pairs—one for the pharmacist and the other for the patient. Each pair is rated on the importance of the information to the patient. All messages can be printed for the client.

• Counselling professional monographs provide detailed explanations of proper use, side effects and other information.
• Counselling patient monographs provide equivalent information to the counselling professional monograph, but in simpler language

Drug-to-drug interaction monographs

A drug-to-drug interaction monograph for all possible drug-to-drug interactions for a specific medication can be accessed by entering a DIN.

A drug-to-drug interaction monograph for two specific medications can be accessed by entering the two DINs.