Lexicomp Online and Micromedex 2.0

Abstract

This reviewer will discuss the features of Lexicomp and Micromedex 2.0, two popular packages of high-quality and reliable drug information. Given my experiences, I focus on academic use and do not discuss mobile apps, although these packages can be licensed for clinical use and mobile apps including portions of the content from each package are available. A “package” of drug information combines multiple tertiary information items such as reference books, handbooks, and interactive tools; librarians select specific items to license from the options available in a package. Listing names and descriptions of all items that are available in these two packages would take several pages and would soon be irrelevant as new items are frequently added. When considering a product, I recommend obtaining current lists of items from publishers, then using Drug Information: A Guide to Current Resources [1] to understand the content of each item and the Basic Resources for Pharmacy Education [2] list or similar lists for other disciplines to evaluate the relevance of each item to academic programs that the library supports.