Final answer:
The Drug Information Handbook, updated quarterly by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, is the medication reference the student is asking about. It offers comprehensive drug information for healthcare professionals. The FDA regulates medicine to ensure safety and efficacy, protecting the public from unsafe drugs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medication reference that is published annually and updated quarterly by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in Bethesda, Maryland, is the Drug Information Handbook. This reference is widely utilized by health care professionals, including pharmacists, to support medication management and to ensure the safe and effective use of pharmaceuticals. The Drug Information Handbook provides detailed drug information, including dosing, administration, side effects, and potential drug interactions.
On the other hand, the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) is a medication reference book used primarily by physicians and is known for containing manufacturer-prescribing information on medications. The National Formulary (NF) is part of the United States Pharmacopeia, which provides standards for medicines, and the Merck Manual is a general medical reference. It is important for healthcare professionals to have access to accurate and up-to-date drug information to offer the best patient care.
Regulation of Medicines by the FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the medicines that pharmacies are allowed to sell in the United States to ensure their safety and efficacy. This process often requires extensive testing before a drug can enter the market. While these regulations serve to protect the public from potentially unsafe drugs, they also lead to increased development costs and delays, which can be seen as a disadvantage to both the pharmaceutical companies and patients eagerly awaiting new therapies.