EVIDENCE METHOD

Why medicine education begins with primary regulatory sources

Papers and reporting may provide leads; approval records, labels and regulator communications are the starting point for checking a particular product in a particular market.

Different sources answer different questions

Peer-reviewed research helps explain a scientific question. A regulatory record addresses the authorisation, current label and safety communications for a specified product in a specified market. Both are valuable, but neither replaces the other.

A timestamp establishes the boundary

Medicine information changes. Every record should show its review date and link to the source. A change at the source should return the associated page to a review queue.

Transparency is the minimum

OriginDrug distinguishes primary sources, secondary reporting and information still under review. Material that cannot be checked should not be presented as settled fact.

PRIMARY REFERENCE

Reference entry points