Sources of regulatory information for pharmacists

Sources of regulatory information of use to pharmacists are summarized. Regulatory information is provided by government, legal, pharmaceutical industry, nongovernment, and investigational drug sources. Databases and trade and professional organizations also provide such information. Information on legislative statutes and regulations can be found in the Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, and List of CFR Sections Affected. Many other government reports are also available. Various law reports are published by state and federal courts; legal textbooks, journals, and newsletters also provide pharmacy law information. Pharmaceutical industry sources supply information on U.S. drug approvals, pharmaceutical companies, and FDA enforcement actions, whereas nongovernment regulatory sources provide comprehensive regulatory and drug information. Investigational drug sources enable pharmacists to keep abreast of new drug development. Databases provide a wide variety of information, and trade newsletters supply information of interest to the organization. Knowledge of appropriate references will allow pharmacists to keep abreast of regulations that may affect them and new developments in their area of expertise.