The ''Physicians' Desk Reference'' (''PDR''), renamed ''Prescriber's Digital Reference'' after its physical publication was discontinued, is a compilation of manufacturers' prescribing information (
package insert
A package insert is a document included in the package of a medication that provides information about that drug and its use. For prescription medications, the insert is technical, providing information for medical professionals about how to pr ...
) on
prescription drug
A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs c ...
s, updated regularly and published by
ConnectiveRx.
History
The original PDR was titled ''Physicians' Desk Reference'' but was renamed because not all prescribers are
physician
A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...
s and the reference is no longer a hardback book used on a desk. While marketed as a means of providing physicians with the full legally mandated information relevant to writing prescriptions, it was widely available in
libraries
A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...
and
bookstore
Bookselling is the commercial trading of books, which is the retail and distribution end of the publishing process.
People who engage in bookselling are called booksellers, bookdealers, book people, bookmen, or bookwomen.
History
The found ...
s, was widely used by other medical specialists, and was sometimes valuable to the
layman
In religious organizations, the laity () — individually a layperson, layman or laywoman — consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother.
...
. The book was distributed for free to all licensed medical doctors in America; only drugs which drug manufacturers paid to appear, appeared in the PDR, and no generic drugs were listed.
The 71st Edition, published in 2017, was the final hardcover edition, weighed in at and contained information on over 1,000 drugs. Since then, the PDR has been available online for free.
The ''Physicians' Desk Reference'' was first published in 1947 by Medical Economics Inc., a magazine publisher founded by Lansing Chapman. Medical Economics Inc. merged with Reinhold Publishing in 1966 to form Chapman-Reinhold.
Litton Industries
Litton Industries, Inc., was an American defense contractor that specialized in shipbuilding, aerospace, electronic components, and information technology. The company was founded in 1953 and was named after inventor Charles Litton Sr., who was ...
, which owned the
American Book Company, acquired Chapman-Reinhold in 1968. Litton sold its publishing business to the
International Thomson Organization
International Thomson Organization (ITO) was a Canadian holding company that was active from 1978 to 1989, with interests in publishing, travel, and natural resources. It was created as a part of a corporate restructuring of the Thomson Organizat ...
(ITO) in 1981.
ITO successor
Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters Corporation ( ) is a Canadian multinational corporation, multinational content-driven technology Conglomerate (company), conglomerate. The company was founded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and maintains its headquarters at 1 ...
sold the ''Physicians' Desk Reference'' to
Lee Equity Partners
Lee Equity Partners is an American private equity firm focused on growth capital investments in middle-market companies across a range of industries.
History
The firm is based in New York City and it was founded in 2006 by Thomas H. Lee, the n ...
in 2009; Lee formed the new parent company PDR Network. Lee sold PDR Network to
Genstar Capital
Genstar Capital is a private equity firm that executes leveraged buyout transactions in middle-market companies based in North America. Founded in 1988, Genstar currently has approximately $33 billion in assets under management.
Based in San ...
in 2015. Genstar merged PDR Network into the new company ConnectiveRx.
About the ''PDR''
The ''PDR'' material contained includes:
*Comprehensive indexing (four sections)
**by Manufacturer
**Products (by company's or trademarked drug name)
**Category index (for example, "antibiotics")
**Generic/chemical index (non-trademark common drug names)
*Color images of medications
*Product information, consistent with FDA labeling
**Chemical information
**Function/action
**Indications & Contraindications
**Trial research, side effects, warnings
Related references
The PDR has several versions and related volumes:
* ''PDR''
* ''PDR for Nonprescription Drugs, Dietary Supplements, and Herbs''
* ''PDR Drug Interactions and Side Effects Index''
* ''PDR''health—Version in lay terms.
* ''PDR Family Guide to Over-the-Counter Drugs''—Lay term guide to non-prescription medication.
* ''PDR for Ophthalmic Medicines''
* ''PDR Drug Guide for Mental Health Professionals''
* ''PDR for Herbal Medicines''
References
{{reflist, 1
External links
PDR.Net��online version, free consumer drug and medical information site.
Medical manuals
Thomson Reuters
Pharmacology literature