Sources & Evidence Standards

This page explains which sources support the site and what each source can and cannot establish. A drug label describes approved uses, warnings, and known evidence; it does not predict whether one person will benefit or develop an adverse event.

Primary official sources

DailyMed

DailyMed, maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, provides current labeling submitted to FDA. Prescription labels and Medication Guides are used for boxed warnings, contraindications, dosage-form distinctions, interactions, organ-specific precautions, pregnancy language, and patient counseling. OTC Drug Facts labels are used for active ingredient, age boundaries, directions, and consumer warnings for a specific product.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

FDA Drug Safety Communications are used when a safety issue changes or clarifies label advice. The pregnancy communication about NSAIDs at 20 weeks or later is a key example. FDA MedWatch is linked for reporting suspected serious reactions and product problems; submitting a report does not prove causation.

MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, is used for patient-facing descriptions of uses, forms, administration, common precautions, serious symptoms, and self-care duration boundaries. It supports explanation but does not replace the exact product label.

LactMed

The NIH Drugs and Lactation Database is used for breastfeeding exposure, milk-level evidence, reported infant effects, and alternative-agent context. Limited evidence is described as limited; absence of a report is not presented as proof of no risk.

Poison Control

Poison Control provides U.S. exposure-triage pathways and the 1-800-222-1222 number. Articles do not publish a universal toxic dose because the correct response depends on product, amount, time, age, body weight, medical conditions, symptoms, and co-exposures.

How claims are translated

  • Known class warning: described directly and linked to labeling.
  • Possible association: written with uncertainty, without claiming the medicine caused the symptom.
  • Individual risk: not quantified unless a suitable source and population support the number.
  • Comparison: framed by diagnosis, outcome, duration, and personal risks rather than “best” or milligram size.
  • Dose: tied to the exact product or prescription, never generalized across formulations.

Direct links

Review boundary

The site does not currently claim review by a named physician or pharmacist. Sources are selected and synthesized editorially, and personal decisions should be confirmed with a qualified professional. See the Editorial Policy for corrections and update rules.