LactMed: A New Database on Drugs and Lactation from the National Library of Medicine

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Philip Wexler, MLS¹, Philip O. Anderson, PharmD², and James E. Knoben, PharmD¹. (1) Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 510, Bethesda, MD 20892-5467, 301-496-6346, wexlerp@mail.nih.gov, (2) Drug Information Service, University of California, San Diego, Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103-8925

LactMed, a free online database with information on drugs and lactation, is one of the newest additions to the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) TOXNET system, a Web-based collection of resources covering toxicology, chemical safety, and environmental health. Geared to the healthcare practitioner and nursing mother, LactMed contains over 450 drug records. It includes information such as maternal levels in breast milk, infant levels in blood, potential effects in breastfeeding infants and on lactation itself, the American Academy of Pediatrics category indicating the level of compatibility of the drug with breastfeeding, and alternate drugs to consider. References are included, as is nomenclature information, such as the drug's Chemical Abstract Service's (CAS) Registry number and its broad drug class. Of particular note is the field, Summary of Use during Lactation, which offers guidance on use of the drug based upon the data presented in the record. A world-renowned expert on drugs and lactation is responsible for creation of this field and the content of the database in general. Three other recognized authorities in the field serve as the database's scientific review panel. Ancillary resources, such as a glossary of terms related to drugs and lactation, and breastfeeding links are also offered. LactMed can be searched together with TOXNET's other databases in a multi-file environment, to obtain other relevant information about drugs. As a work in progress, LactMed will continue to expand with additional drugs and be enhanced with other substances, such as industrial chemicals and radiation.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

1. Describe the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) TOXNET system
2. Describe the content and file structure of NLM’s Drugs and Lactation database (LactMed).
3. Perform searches in LactMed to retrieve relevant data, and interpret search results.

Keywords: Breast Feeding, Drug Safety

Related Web page: toxnet.nlm.nih.gov

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation

Successful Collaborations, Policies and Programs Supporting the Right of Women to Breastfeed According to National and International Standards

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA