Abate MA, Blommel ML. Drug Information and Literature Evaluation. London, UK: Pharmaceutical Press; 2013, 224 pp, $29.99 (softcover), ISBN 9780857110664.

Robert D. Beckett

doi:10.5688/ajpe779206

Drug Information and Literature Evaluation is a new offering from the Remington Education series of guides on practice-relevant topics intended for pharmacy students. This book supports the perspective that all pharmacists should be drug information experts, providing a simple, relevant, application-based approach to often-challenging subject material.

The authors present a concise overview of the most commonly taught principles in this subject area. The book provides an effective summary of key topics, including a survey of available resources, strategies for searching the primary literature, and an appraisal of health information on the Internet. Most of the text focuses on principles of drug literature evaluation. The proposed 6-step approach to evaluating primary literature provides a usable framework for teaching literature evaluation in both traditional classroom and experiential settings.

Of note, the chapter describing statistical analysis is primarily application based, and is particularly helpful for daily use by students, residents, and most practitioners; however, readers looking for in-depth statistical theory may need to consult a more comprehensive resource. The chapter describing the final step of the 6-step approach contains an excellent list of questions especially helpful for teaching, facilitating, or preparing for journal club.

The book’s format is rooted in solid principles of instructional design. Each chapter contains specific, assessable learning objectives tied to clear instruction. Worked examples and summative assessments are provided. The worked examples give students opportunity for formative feedback by giving insight into how the authors would approach a clinical issue or problem. The summative self-assessment questions, including both short answer and multiple choice, allow students to recall and practice what they have learned. Basic examples make activities achievable by students working independently. Instructors will need to supplement with more complicated problems and application to actual studies. Assessment questions and activities are well-tied to chapter learning objectives. Key points at the close of each chapter recap the lecture objectives and remind students of what they have learned. These are helpful but at times can be lengthy and address information not yet encountered.

The authors should be applauded for keeping the literature evaluation and biostatistics information simple, accessible, and relevant for students and practitioners. The principles discussed are similar to other published texts but more concise and readable. The book’s organization is orderly and logical. Probably because this series is designed to supplement existing textbooks, applications relating to drug information specialty areas, such as formulary management, medication safety, medication use evaluation, and investigational drugs services, are largely omitted. A more comprehensive overview of the best online resources for consumers would have been helpful for new practitioners who may need to recommend appropriate Web sites for use by their patients.

Drug Information and Literature Evaluation is recommended as a valuable guide for students and practitioners seeking a concise overview of available resources and an easy-to-use, compact reference for questions related to literature evaluation and biostatistics. It is also recommended as a possible aid to teachers of these topics as it provides a relevant, application-based approach that could be easily replicated in traditional classroom and experiential settings.