Managing & Treating Osteoporosis

Finding Information About Medicines

To find more information about medicines, the resources below may be helpful to you. Phone numbers are provided when available. 

Organizations and Web sites

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
This is the government agency that approves the prescription medicines that are used in the U.S.
Location: Rockville, MD
Web site: www.fda.gov
Web site: www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/
(for specific information on medicines)
Phone: (888) 463-6332
   

MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Its Web site provides a wide range of information on health issues including this database on medicines.
Location: Bethesda, MD
Web site: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html  
   

National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)
NCPIE is a nonprofit coalition that works to promote safe and appropriate medicine use. The Web site has information on Tips on Safe Storage and Disposal of Your Prescription Medicines, Understanding Prescription Assistance Programs and a special section for Medicine Users. NCPIE has several Web sites.
Location:

Rockville, MD
Web site: www.talkaboutrx.org
Web site: www.bemedwise.org
Web site: www.mustforseniors.org
Phone: (301) 340-3940
   

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
NIAMS, part of National Institutes of Health, will provide the results of research studies on many topics. When you contact NIAMS, ask for a MedLine search.
Location:

Bethesda, MD
Web site: www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/default.asp
Phone: (800) 624-2663
 

PubMed
PubMed is a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. It includes more than 18 million citations for biomedical articles. PubMed includes links to full text articles and other related resources.
Location: Bethesda, MD
Web site: www.pubmed.gov
   

United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
USP sets standards for prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements that are available in the U.S. While most of the Web site is for health professionals, USP has a “Drug Error Finder” for medicines that look or sound alike.
Location: Rockville, MD

Web site:

 www.usp.org
Web site: www.usp.org/hqi/similarProducts/drugErrorFinderTool.html
(for Drug Error Finder)

 

Financial Assistance Programs for Prescriptions

Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA)
PPA brings together drug companies, doctors, other healthcare providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help people obtain the medications they need if they have no health insurance and qualify for help. It provides information on prescription drug assistance programs.  
Web site: www.pparx.org
Phone: (888) 477-2669
   

NeedyMeds
NeedyMeds provides information on Medicare, state programs, patient assistance programs and more.
Location: Gloucester, MA
Web site: www.needymeds.org

 

Special Topics and Programs

MUST for Seniors™

Older adults and caregivers can get help to avoid medicine errors and recognize and manage common side effects. You can obtain this helpful information from the MUST for Seniors™ program. MUST stands for “Medication Use Safety Training.” The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) sponsors it.
Web site: www.mustforseniors.org
Phone: (301) 656-8565
   

My Medical Record
To help you keep track of your prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed a form. It is called “My Medicine Record.” You can use it to share information with your healthcare providers. The FDA suggests taking it with you when you visit your doctor, pharmacy or hospital. The record can be printed from the FDA Web site.
Web site: www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/my_medicine_record.htm
   
New Medicines in Development
The Web site of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has a section on new medicines in development.
Location: Washington, DC
Web site: www.phrma.org/medicines_in_development/
   

Reporting Medication Side Effects
If you have side effects from a medication, this should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider. When a patient has a side effect or adverse reaction to a medication, the patient or healthcare provider should report it to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You can call the FDA, or you can complete an online form to report an adverse event. You may also want to notify the pharmaceutical manufacturer. To complete an online report, go to the FDA Web site.
Web site: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/medwatch-online.htm
Phone: (800) 332-1088
   

 

Note: NOF assumes no responsibility for the content found on these Web sites. These links are offered as a convenience. Providing these links does not imply an endorsement or recommendation of these sites by NOF.