20 Useful Pharmaceutical Search Engines

Americans, both patients and professionals, who look for for medical information online turn to search engines two-thirds of the time when they are seeking answers, according to a study by Manhattan Research. More US adults use the internet than they use doctors for obtaining health and medical information, which is why picking a credible pharmaceutical search engine is vital for accurate information. This list of 20 useful pharmaceutical search engines provides some of the most reliable tools for pharmaceutical searches today on the Internet.

This list is organized in alphabetical order within categories.

Search Engines

1. IFPMA Clinical Trials Portal: Developed in conjunction with information technology leader IBM, this was the first internet search engine constructed specifically to link to on-line information made available by the innovative pharmaceutical industry about clinical trials worldwide. This is a free and easy-to-use interface for patients and health professionals alike. The industry’s R&D pipeline contains hundreds of new medicines and vaccines being developed to address global disease threats, including cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS and malaria.
2. LegitScript: According to the site, this resource is a source of information for patients, Internet users, physicians, businesses and other third parties who need to know if an Internet pharmacy is acting in accordance with the law and accepted standards of ethics and safety. LegitScript is identified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) as the only Internet pharmacy verification service that adheres to its standards. Currently, verification is offered as a free service to Internet pharmacies.
3. MediLexicon: MediLexicon has the world’s largest online database of pharmaceutical and medical abbreviations — over 230,000 and growing. MediLexicon contains searches, information, news and resources for medical, pharmaceutical and healthcare professionals. Search the drug databases for drug information including prescription drug information. Multiple drug searches available or use their Pharmaceutical Company Directory to find worldwide pharmaceutical companies.
4. Medtipster: Jeff Polter is responsible for the development of new content, products and services for Medtipster. He manages all pharmacy and retail chain relationships, business partnerships, and leads all of Medtipster’s business development efforts. You can find information here through a drug search and about various pharmaceutical concerns.
5. Omni Medical Search: This search engine offers search options, a reference desk, information about conditions and diseases and a local directory — all gathered from 25 databases, including authoritative medical search engines, image libraries and the latest health and medical news.
6. Pharmacy Pages: Whether you need to find you local corner drugstore or search the many online pharmacies in this database, the Pharmacy Pages provides directions to the nearest drugstore or the ability to send an email to your pharmacist for information on prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicine. For the quickest pharmacy search results try the Quick Search by entering your Zip Code. Pharmacy Pages is a free web directory sponsored by Pharmacy Choice, the premier web portal for the pharmacy industry.
7. PogoFrog: Studies have shown that physicians rarely find links to credible medical information on the first few pages of a keyword search when using the popular consumer search engines. In fact, they often must search through dozens of results pages before finding the credible medical information they need. PogoFrog provides a medical research engine for physicians who use the Internet regularly to research varied healthcare subjects.
8. RXCut Pharmacy Search Engine: Use this mashup of Google Maps and a database to find a pharmacy located near you. Enter the full search address or Zip Code or the first few letters of the medication name to complete your search options.

Directories

9. BioPharmaLink: Initially BioPharmaLink provided an easy tool to retrieve information about companies and institutions that contribute directly to the development, manufacturing, licensing and distribution of medicines and therapies for the prevention and treatment of human illness. The concept has been further developed into a network of biopharma professionals, who meet online through showrooms visited daily by a global community.
10. Pharmacy Checker: PharmacyChecker.com was founded by a medical doctor in 2003 to help consumers safely save money on medication. It independently checks the credentials of online pharmacies and lets you easily compare drug prices. Its online pharmacy verification program is the largest and most accepted — referenced by AARP Magazine, Smart Money, and Consumer Reports.
11. PharmWeb: Since its launch in 1994 PharmWeb has developed into the premier online community of pharmacy, pharmaceutical and healthcare-related professionals with over 40,000 self-registered users. This site also includes a library of archives from over 100 moderated discussion forums. Until recently, PharmWeb was operated with minimal resources and was maintained by Tony D’Emanuele, assisted by John Heaton and Anthony Howarth. PharmWeb has developed into a professionally managed Internet provider specializing in pharmaceutical- and health-related information.
12. RPhWorld: RPhWorld.com was created to organize and keep track of links of websites pharmacists may need to use in our daily practice. The purpose of this site is to enable pharmacists, as well as other healthcare professionals, to access free and reliable clinical resources on the internet from one easy to remember location.
13. RxList: RxList is an online medical resource dedicated to offering detailed and current pharmaceutical information on brand and generic drugs. Founded by pharmacists in 1995, RxList’s knowledgeable staff continuously reviews and updates the site with articles written by pharmacists and physicians and data provided by credible and reliable sources like the FDA and First Data Bank, Inc. to ensure the most accurate and beneficial information is provided. RxList is 0wned and 0perated by WebMD and part of the WebMD network.

Other Search Tools

14. MedHelp: Founded in 1994 out of a shared need for better medical information and support, MedHelp is the pioneer in online health communities. Today, MedHelp empowers over 12 million people each month to take control over their health and find answers to their medical questions.
15. MedicineNet: Since 1996, MedicineNet.com has had a highly accomplished, uniquely experienced team of qualified executives in the fields of medicine, healthcare, Internet technology, and business to bring you the most comprehensive, sought-after healthcare information anywhere. Nationally recognized, doctor-produced by a network of more than 70 U.S. board-certified physicians, MedicineNet.com is the trusted source for online health and medical information.
16. Pharmocracy: This is a Connected Market Space platform, and it was developed by E-Health online, a division of CMAEON. CMAEON is the parent company of a host of world-class subsidiaries and brands that apply technological and strategic expertise to assist clients in a broad variety of market sectors. Users can search for medications and purchase those meds from pharmacies listed on this database.
17. PubMed: PubMed comprises more than 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. The focus is on medicine, clinical trials and biotechnology. Sponsored by NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), its mission is to develop new information technologies to aid in the understanding of fundamental molecular and genetic processes that control health and disease.
18. RXinsider: This portal is a marketing, networking and software development firm providing solutions to the healthcare sector with a focus on the pharmacy profession. Their mission is to develop and market profitable, industry-leading technologies that connect end-users to relevant resources that provide valuable advantages to our clients. They offer educational resources and a CE search engine.
19. The New England Journal of Medicine Advanced Search: The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) is dedicated to bringing physicians the best research and key information at the intersection of biomedical science and clinical practice, and to presenting the information in an understandable and clinically useful format. Use this advanced search to find information from over almost two centuries worth of publications. Through the NEJM archive, every article published in NEJM since 1812 is available and completely searchable online.
20. U.S. National Library of Medicine: The National Library of Medicine (NLM), on the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, is the world’s largest medical library. The Library collects materials and provides information and research services in all areas of biomedicine and health care. As part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), This library offers databases for a variety of medical and pharmaceutical sites as well as access to all NLM databases.