New drug information tool will help empower consumers toward drug safety

First DataBank, a leading provider of integrated drug databases for the healthcare industry, today announced the company’s drug databases have been integrated into HealthGrades new prescription drug ratings tool for consumers, which became available last month.

The HealthGrades consumer tool covers more than four thousand prescription drugs incorporating information published by First DataBank including a drug’s profile and important safety information such as side effects, drug interactions and official warnings and alerts. Additionally, drug descriptive and pricing information is made available to the user. This tool is the first of its kind available to consumers on the Internet at www.healthgrades.com.

”HealthGrades’ groundbreaking and important drug information tool will help consumers make informed decisions about prescription drugs and we are pleased to license our drug content for this important purpose,” said Don Nielsen, M.D., President, First DataBank. “As consumers have more reliable information about the medications that will be or are being prescribed for them, they will be better able to make more informed decisions and will be better prepared regarding the safe use of their medications,” he continued.

“We are pleased to be working with First DataBank to provide comprehensive and useful drug information to consumers,” said HealthGrades Executive Vice President Sarah Loughran. “Consumers need credible information in order to make informed decisions about their treatment options, and we chose First DataBank’s drug information content not only because of its depth and breadth, but also because it meets our stringent quality standards.”

About HealthGrades
HealthGrades is the leading healthcare ratings organization, providing ratings and profiles of hospitals, nursing homes, physicians and prescription drugs. Millions of consumers and many of the nation’s largest employers, health plans and hospitals rely on HealthGrades’ independent ratings and decision-support resources to make healthcare decisions based on the quality and cost of care. More information on the company can be found at http://www.healthgrades.com.

About First DataBank
First DataBank, a subsidiary of Hearst Corporation, drives patient safety and healthcare quality by providing drug databases that are used within information systems that touch every aspect of healthcare. For 30 years, we have partnered with system developers to integrate and optimize our drug information to improve user workflow and enhance clinical decision making by those entrusted with treating patients at the point-of-need. For more information about First DataBank, call 800-633-3453 or visit www.firstdatabank.com.

© 2008 First DataBank, Inc. A subsidiary of Hearst Corporation. All trademarks mentioned herein are the properties of their respective owner

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