FAQ
MULTILEX Drug Data File
Who updates the database?
FDBE has a large team of pharmacists, clinicians, clinical researchers, healthcare informaticists and software developers who maintain and develop the drug knowledge base. FDBE operates a Quality Management system that is certified to the latest ISO 9001:2000 standard and operating procedures are regularly reviewed.
Which sources does FDBE use to update the data?
FDBE uses a variety of sources to ensure the data is comprehensive and completely neutral. Sources include the Summary of Product Characteristics, BNF, BNF for children, Martindale and other recognised reference texts. The Drug Tariff and information from the PSNC are used for pricing, NHS availability and provision of dispensing information.
How often is the drug knowledge base updated?
FDBE updates the drug knowledge base on a monthly basis to include the most recent Drug Tariff information.
Which other system providers use FDBE and Multilex?
FDBE provides its drug knowledge base to GP system providers such as In Practice Systems and iSoft, hospital providers such as JAC Computer Services and GE Healthcare, and other community pharmacy providers such as Boots the Chemists and Lloydspharmacy.
How is FDBE supporting the new pharmacy contract services?
FDBE is helping pharmacists to record information for the purpose of Medicines Use Reviews (MURs). Multilex DDF not only provides patient specific checks, in conjunction with LINKEvolution, it allows you to record if there has been a pharmacy intervention and the details of this intervention. FDBE is also supporting 'new prescribers' - see next question.
There is a lot of talk about 'new prescribers' where pharmacists with training will be able to prescribe the majority of drugs - will Multilex DDF be able to support these prescribers?
Yes, FDBE's clinical decision support is designed for prescribing as well as dispensing and is used by GPs and hospital doctors for prescribing. It carries out patient specific clinical checks to highlight potential drug interactions, contraindications, precautions, patient sensitivities, drug doubling and duplicate therapy.
What future developments is FDBE working on?
FDBE provides the endorsing tool integrated into your LINK system. FDBE is developing a new tool to allow full integration of the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d) for EPS release 1 and 2, along with Acute Medication Service (AMS) in Scotland. The new tool will allow calculation of remuneration estimates and the application of regional drug tariff rules.
What is FDBE's role in the National Programme for IT?
FDBE's dedication to patient safety has been recognised by NHS Connecting for Health (NHS CfH) who has chosen FDBE to provide drug related clinical decision support. FDBE's clinical decision support is integrated into your LINK system.
How do the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d) and SNOMED affect Multilex DDF?
NHS Connecting for Health (NHS CfH) has introduced two standard clinical terminologies - the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d) for the consistent identification of medicines and medical devices and the Systemised Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED) for the recording of medical conditions and allergies. FDBE fully supports these standard terminologies and recognises the need for dm+d for ETP. FDBE has already integrated both dm+d and SNOMED into it's clinical decision support.
What is the Multilex Browser and how do I access it?
The Multilex Browser is a stand-alone Windows browser providing quick and easy access to all of the clinical and commercial information contained within Multilex DDF. It enables immediate access to accurate and up-to-date information on over 71,000 pharmaceutical products, including POMs, OTCs, appliances, homoeopathic remedies and other NHS prescribable products. The Multilex Browser allows you to: search by Drug Name, Action Group or Appliance Group, view all the clinical information for a product switch between Brand and Generic, source equivalent products and compare prices. Click on the Multilex browser icon at the bottom of your screen or press F7 to launch it. You will notice that whichever product you are looking at within your LINK screen will be reflected in the Multilex Browser.
What is the Multilex Bulletin and how do I access it?
Each month, FDBE's pharmacists and clinical researchers update Multilex DDF with drug changes, additions and updates. All this information is contained within the monthly Multilex Bulletin. The Multilex Bulletin can be useful to you in a number of ways, including: providing advance warnings of any specific changes on Multilex DDF, supplying information on the latest product name changes, including BANs to rINNS, highlighting the new drugs, appliances and preparations added or removed from Multilex DDF this month. To open the bulletin, launch the Multilex Browser and then click on the Bulletin icon in the top left hand corner.
