WHODrug: A Global, Validated and Updated Dictionary for Medicinal Information

Area of Science:

• Pharmacovigilance
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Drug Information Systems

Background:

• The World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring (WHO-UMC) developed the WHODrug dictionary.
• Accurate medication information is crucial for clinical trials and patient safety.
• Existing systems may lack comprehensive global medication data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the structure and utility of the WHODrug medicinal information dictionary.
• To highlight its role in standardizing medication data for clinical trials and pharmacovigilance.
• To emphasize the importance of maintaining a comprehensive, validated, and updated global drug dictionary.

Main Methods:

• The WHODrug dictionary systematically collects and structures medicinal information, including trade names, active ingredients, and pharmaceutical details.
• Medications are linked via a structured alphanumeric code to their active moiety.
• Classification systems like the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) system and Standardised Drug Groupings are employed.

Main Results:

• WHODrug facilitates the coding of medications in clinical trials and the identification of medication-related problems.
• Its structured data enables the aggregation of medications for analyzing adverse drug reactions.
• It supports the exploration of relationships between medications and adverse events.

Conclusions:

• The WHODrug dictionary is an essential global resource for accurate and standardized medication information.
• Its use in clinical trials and post-marketing safety improves data exchange and drug safety monitoring.
• Continuous updates and validation are necessary to meet the evolving needs of pharmaceutical industries, academia, and regulatory bodies.