What is the eMC?
The electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) contains up to date, easily
accessible information about medicines licensed for use in the UK. The eMC has more than
6,000 documents, all of which have been checked and approved
by either the UK or European government agencies which license medicines. These agencies
are the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the European
Medicines Agency (EMEA).
The eMC was launched in 1999 and has become an established website, trusted for reliable information about medicines.
In 2009, people will look at about ten million documents on the eMC website. The
eMC is free to use and you don't have to register any personal details.
The eMC is managed and owned by Datapharm Communications Limited, known
as Datapharm. We work with pharmaceutical companies, the NHS, and other healthcare
organisations to provide good information about medicines.
What does the eMC contain?
The eMC contains two types of documents.
- Summaries of Product Characteristics (SPCs)
- Patient Information Leaflets (PILs)
Summaries of Product Characteristics
An SPC tells healthcare professionals, such as doctors, pharmacists and nurses, how to prescribe
and use a medicine correctly. An SPC is based on clinical trials that a pharmaceutical
company has carried out, and gives information about dose, use and possible side effects.
An SPC is always written in a standard format, which is explained in our
glossary.
Patient Information Leaflets
A PIL is the leaflet that is included in the pack with a medicine. The PIL is a summary of the SPC and is written for patients. Our
glossary section explains more.
Where does the information come from?
All the information on the eMC website comes directly from pharmaceutical companies.
About 160 pharmaceutical companies subscribe to the eMC and so pay Datapharm to
publish their information on the eMC website. This is how the information is approved and added.
- The pharmaceutical company drafts a Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) and
Patient Information Leaflet (PIL), using all the up to date information about their
medicine.
- The UK or European medicines licensing agency - the Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) - then checks and
approves the information.
- The pharmaceutical company publishes the approved SPC and PIL on the eMC website.
How is the information updated?
When there is new information about a medicine, or when a new medicine is launched, the pharmaceutical
company should update the eMC website within 30 days of the UK or European medicines authority approving the change.
The What's New page of the eMC website shows you all
the new or updated documents that have been published. This page also links
to detailed information about the exact changes that have been made.
Who can use the eMC?
The eMC can be used by anyone who is looking for good quality, up to date information
about medicines.
- Healthcare professionals, such as doctors, pharmacists or nurses, use the eMC to
check the latest information about medicines, and to help them prescribe medicines
safely.
- Patients or their carers, check information about their medicines.
- The general public can find information about medicines they are thinking of taking.
The eMC is an established website, trusted for reliable information about medicines.
In 2009, people will look at about ten million documents on the eMC website.
Which pharmaceutical companies add information to the eMC?
About 160 pharmaceutical companies add information about their medicines to the
eMC. You can see a full list of the companies that contribute by choosing 'browse companies'
and then selecting the option 'Show All'.
If you are a pharmaceutical company and would like to add your information to the
eMC, please contact us.
I can't find the information I'm looking for
If you can't find the information you are looking for, please visit our
help section.
About us
The eMC website is managed and owned by Datapharm Communications Limited, known
as Datapharm. We work with pharmaceutical companies, the NHS, and other healthcare
organisations to provide good information about medicines.
Our aim is to improve public health and safety by providing up to date, accurate
and comprehensive information about medicines to healthcare professionals, patients
and the general public.
We are a not for profit company funded by about 160 UK pharmaceutical companies.
These companies pay us to publish their Summaries of Product Characteristics (SPCs)
and Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) on the eMC website. All the SPCs and PILs
have been checked and approved by the UK or European medicines licensing authority
- the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or the European
Medicines Agency (EMEA).
We have a range of medicines information websites and services.
-
electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC)
An up to date and easily accessible source of information about medicines licensed in the UK.
-
X-PIL
We work with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to make Patient
Information Leaflets (PILs) available for blind and partially sighted people. The
X-PIL website has large print and screen reader-friendly PILs and the
RNIB provide Braille and audio versions.
-
Medicine Guides
Medicine Guides are written for patients, to give more information about medicines.
Our Medicine Guides are linked to the treatments section of the Health Encyclopaedia
on the NHS Choices website.
-
The Medicines Compendium
The Medicines Compendium is a book containing Summaries of Product Characteristics
(SPCs) for many of the medicines that are licensed in the UK. This book is published
every year and is free for healthcare professionals working in the NHS.
Datapharm was formed in 1977 and is an independent, not for profit company.
We are a company limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales - registered
number 1317421. Our registered office is Stocks House, 9 North Street, Leatherhead,
Surrey, England KT22 7AX.