Sources of information on medicines: a comparation between Romania and other European countries

Abstract

Doctors are required to discriminate between different types of online information sources. The official source of information on medicines in Romania is the Nomenclatorul medicamentelor published online by the National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices. In addition, there are several commercial mobile applications and websites that assume the role of informing doctors or patients, but the accuracy of the information, the frequency of updates, the degree of objectivity and independence from the pharmaceutical industry of these media are not well determined. As a starting point, a review of existing digital sources of information on medicines in Romania and other European countries is made. Principles as to how digital sources can be used are needed to provide clarity to healthcare professionals, patients and medicines regulators.