Australian Medicines Handbook
Encyclopedia
Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH) is an independent medicines reference tool for medical practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, students and any health practitioner with an interest in the quality use of medicines in Australia.
AMH’s mission is to provide concise, practical, reliable, comparative drug information to promote the quality use of medicines in Australia. AMH content is extensively researched and peer-reviewed, and we publish in book (hard copy), PC/Mac and handheld/mobile formats.
AMH (Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd) is jointly owned by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT).
AMH is independent of both Government and the pharmaceutical industry. AMH editorial staff are all qualified pharmacists or medical practitioners, and our Editorial Advisory Board and reviewers include many of Australia’s most recognised authorities in medicines-related fields.
AMH is now published in a number of formats including Book, CD-ROM, Online, Handheld and Mobile. AMH also publish two pocket sized texts AMH Drug Choice Companion: Aged Care 3rd edition and AMH Drug Choice Companion: Emergency Care 3rd edition.
AMH also produce MediFlags Medication Review Software, for accredited pharmacists.
• Treatment: Summarises evidence and clinical practice for a condition and gives context for drug treatment. Discusses and compares the role of different classes and individual drugs in treating the condition.
• Drug Class: Cross refers to Treatment(s). Provides information common to all members, eg mode of action, contraindications, adverse effects. Comparative information describes differences between class members.
• Drug Monograph: If a drug is a class member it cross refers to Class for essential information common to the group. If not in a class it may refer to Treatment(s). Contains specific information for individual drugs, eg dosage, indications and products.
• Appendices: Include drug interactions, electrolytes, laboratory reference ranges and contact information
AMH also produce MediFlags Medication Review Software, for accredited pharmacists.
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2000). Australian Medicines Handbook (2 ed.). Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-646-38303-5
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2002). Australian Medicines Handbook 2002. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-1-8
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2003). Australian Medicines Handbook 2003. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-2-6
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2004). Australian Medicines Handbook 2004. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-4-2
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2005). Australian Medicines Handbook 2005. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-9-3
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2006). Australian Medicines Handbook 2006. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9757919-2-3
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2007). Australian Medicines Handbook 2007. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9757919-5-8
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2008). Australian Medicines Handbook 2008. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9757919-6-6
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2009). Australian Medicines Handbook 2009. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 978-0-9757919-9-8
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2010). Australian Medicines Handbook 2009. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 978-0-9-9805790-1-7
1995: ASCEPT, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners obtain grant from Commonwealth Department of Health and Human Services to produce the first edition of AMH
1998: AMH first edition was published
2000: AMH CD-ROM version released
2001: AMH Drug Choice Companion: Emergency Care first edition published (now in its third edition)
2002: AMH Book version became an annual publication
2003: AMH Drug Choice Companion: Aged Care first edition published (now in its third edition)
2004: AMH Handheld released (formerly called pAMH)
2005: AMH Online released
2007: AMH purchases MediFlags Medication Review Software
2008: AMH Mobile released
2010: Pharmacy Board of Australia nominates AMH as a non-optional reference for pharmacies
2010: AMH introduce the online version of AMH Drug Choice Companion: Aged Care Online
2010: MediFlags re-launches to include AMH Online and Aged Care Online
AMH’s mission is to provide concise, practical, reliable, comparative drug information to promote the quality use of medicines in Australia. AMH content is extensively researched and peer-reviewed, and we publish in book (hard copy), PC/Mac and handheld/mobile formats.
AMH (Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd) is jointly owned by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT).
AMH is independent of both Government and the pharmaceutical industry. AMH editorial staff are all qualified pharmacists or medical practitioners, and our Editorial Advisory Board and reviewers include many of Australia’s most recognised authorities in medicines-related fields.
AMH is now published in a number of formats including Book, CD-ROM, Online, Handheld and Mobile. AMH also publish two pocket sized texts AMH Drug Choice Companion: Aged Care 3rd edition and AMH Drug Choice Companion: Emergency Care 3rd edition.
AMH also produce MediFlags Medication Review Software, for accredited pharmacists.
Structure
• Chapters: Bring together treatment reviews and related drugs and drug classes. Nested documents keep common information together, enable comparisons and reduce repetition; cross references link relevant information. Practice points give tips and advice.• Treatment: Summarises evidence and clinical practice for a condition and gives context for drug treatment. Discusses and compares the role of different classes and individual drugs in treating the condition.
• Drug Class: Cross refers to Treatment(s). Provides information common to all members, eg mode of action, contraindications, adverse effects. Comparative information describes differences between class members.
• Drug Monograph: If a drug is a class member it cross refers to Class for essential information common to the group. If not in a class it may refer to Treatment(s). Contains specific information for individual drugs, eg dosage, indications and products.
• Appendices: Include drug interactions, electrolytes, laboratory reference ranges and contact information
Publication Formats
AMH is now published in a number of formats including Book, CD-ROM, Online, Handheld and Mobile. AMH also publish two pocket sized texts AMH Drug Choice Companion: Aged Care 3rd edition and AMH Drug Choice Companion: Emergency Care 3rd edition.AMH also produce MediFlags Medication Review Software, for accredited pharmacists.
Editions
• Misan GM (Ed.) (1998). Australian Medicines Handbook. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-646-35326-8• Rossi S (Ed.) (2000). Australian Medicines Handbook (2 ed.). Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-646-38303-5
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2002). Australian Medicines Handbook 2002. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-1-8
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2003). Australian Medicines Handbook 2003. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-2-6
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2004). Australian Medicines Handbook 2004. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-4-2
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2005). Australian Medicines Handbook 2005. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9578521-9-3
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2006). Australian Medicines Handbook 2006. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9757919-2-3
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2007). Australian Medicines Handbook 2007. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9757919-5-8
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2008). Australian Medicines Handbook 2008. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 0-9757919-6-6
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2009). Australian Medicines Handbook 2009. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 978-0-9757919-9-8
• Rossi S (Ed.) (2010). Australian Medicines Handbook 2009. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook. ISBN 978-0-9-9805790-1-7
History/Achievements
1991: Consumers Health Forum and the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) held a meeting to discuss how prescribing in Australia might be improved1995: ASCEPT, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners obtain grant from Commonwealth Department of Health and Human Services to produce the first edition of AMH
1998: AMH first edition was published
2000: AMH CD-ROM version released
2001: AMH Drug Choice Companion: Emergency Care first edition published (now in its third edition)
2002: AMH Book version became an annual publication
2003: AMH Drug Choice Companion: Aged Care first edition published (now in its third edition)
2004: AMH Handheld released (formerly called pAMH)
2005: AMH Online released
2007: AMH purchases MediFlags Medication Review Software
2008: AMH Mobile released
2010: Pharmacy Board of Australia nominates AMH as a non-optional reference for pharmacies
2010: AMH introduce the online version of AMH Drug Choice Companion: Aged Care Online
2010: MediFlags re-launches to include AMH Online and Aged Care Online
See also
- Australian Drug Evaluation CommitteeAustralian Drug Evaluation CommitteeThe Australian Drug Evaluation Committee or ADEC, was a committee that provided independent scientific advice to the Australian Government regarding therapeutic drugs. The committee was originally formed in 1963 and more recently authorised under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 as part of the...
- National Drug Code SystemNational Drug Code SystemThe National Drug Code System is a system that is designed to provide drugs in the United States with a specific 11-digit number that describes the product...
- National pharmaceuticals policyNational pharmaceuticals policyA National Pharmaceuticals Policy is one that aims at ensuring that people get good quality drugs at the lowest possible price, and that doctors prescribe the minimum of required drugs in order to treat the patient's illness...