The FDA's New App Lets You Look Up Any Drug

The US Food and Drug Administration has released a new mobileapp that lets users search for information about any drug theagency has approved.

The new app is called Drugs@FDA Express, and it』s a lite versionof the Drugs@FDA webpage, which has been active for several years.Using the new app, users can search for information about all thebranded and generic drugs the agency has approved, including thoseavailable by prescription and those that comeover-the-counter.

The streamlined version allows for quick, on-demand access tobasic drug information, such as the manufacturer name, approvalhistory, labeling, mode of administration (e.g. pill, injection),available dosages, and whether or not generic or bioequivalentversions exist. This information is great for healthcare workers,but also for the average person looking to learn more about a drugthey』re taking, or one they』re looking into.

「The FDA iscontinuously seeking ways to bring information to consumers in moreaccessible formats. Today, with the launch of the Drugs@FDA Expressmobile app, we』re bringing the public important information aboutdrugs in an easy-to-use, mobile format,」 said FDA CommissionerScott Gottlieb in a statement. 「We hope that by making thisimportant health information more easily accessible we can helpempower patients and providers in making their treatmentdecisions.」

Frustratingly, the app doesn』t offer a lot of other information,such as details about the drug itself and its intended purpose,patient information, reviews, or possible side effects. For that,users will need to go to the full-blown version on the FDA』swebsite, which kind of defeats the purpose of the app in somecases. Also, the app doesn』t include dietary supplements, butthat』s because those things don』t require FDA oversight.

But it is user-friendly; you can search by drug name, activeingredient, or application number. The program also displays alldrugs approved by the FDA over the past seven days, while alsoproviding a glossary and FAQ, which annoyingly takes you out of theapp and into your friendly neighborhood mobile web browser (protip: the FAQ is immensely more useful than the glossary). It』s notperfect, but it』s a step in the right direction—that step beingon-demand access to information about medicines approved by thenation』s primary drug regulatory body.

「Consumers are embracing digital health technologies to informeveryday decisions. From fitness trackers to mobile applicationstracking insulin administration, these digital tools can empowerconsumers with a wealth of valuable health information,」 saidGottlieb. 「Advancing mobile apps that inform people about theirhealth and medical choices represents a significant public healthopportunity and is a high priority for the FDA.」

Indeed, the FDA has been in tune lately with developments indigital heath, approving such products as a digital pill that letsdoctors know when it was taken, and an EKG reader for the AppleWatch.

The Drugs@FDA Express mobile app is available for freevia iTunes and the Google Play store.