About ASHP
ASHP is the largest association of pharmacy professionals in the United States, representing 60,000 pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians in all patient care settings, including hospitals, ambulatory clinics, and health-system community pharmacies. For over 80 years, ASHP has championed innovation in pharmacy practice, advanced education and professional development, and served as a steadfast advocate for members and patients. In addition, ASHP is the accrediting body for pharmacy residency and technician training programs, and provides comprehensive resources to support pharmacy professionals through every stage of their careers. For more information, visit ashp.org and ASHP’s consumer website, SafeMedication.com.
ASHP Mission and Vision
The mission of pharmacists is to help people achieve optimal health outcomes. ASHP helps its members achieve this mission by advocating and supporting the professional practice of pharmacists in hospitals, health systems, ambulatory care clinics, and other settings spanning the full spectrum of medication use. ASHP serves its members as their collective voice on issues related to medication use and public health. ASHP’s vision is that medication use will be optimal, safe, and effective for all people all of the time. For more information visit www.ashp.org/about
About AHFS
The mission of AHFS Drug Information® (AHFS DI®) is to provide an evidence-based foundation for safe and effective drug therapy. Widely trusted for its established record in refuting unfounded efficacy claims, its rigorous science-based editorial process, and its independence from the influence of pharmaceutical manufacturers, AHFS DI has remained true to its mission for 50 years. This notable achievement of 5 decades of evidence-based medical publishing has gained AHFS DI the unique distinction of being the longest published federally designated drug compendium issued by a scientific and professional society. As such, AHFS DI maintains a unique role in establishing medically accepted uses of drugs, both labeled and off-label.
AHFS was first published in 1959 as an adaptation from the Hospital Formulary of Selected Drugs by Don E. Francke. AHFS had its roots in the hospital formulary system, which was intended to establish a sound therapeutic and economic basis for drug policy. Originally, the Formulary Service was conducted through the Committee of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals of the ASHP to assist the pharmacy and therapeutics committee of each hospital in preparing its hospital formulary. The Formulary Service™ has evolved to address increasingly complex issues related to drug therapy and formulary management. The AHFS DI database is maintained continuously throughout the year for the purpose of disseminating comprehensive, evaluative drug information to the entire medical and paramedical community, and updates are issued frequently on an ongoing basis in electronic formats.
AHFS DI has developed beyond its original purpose to become the most comprehensive, authoritative source of evaluative, evidence-based drug information available. Paramount to providing such information is the critical, evidence-based evaluation of pertinent clinical data concerning drugs, with a focus on assessing thoroughly the advantages and disadvantages of various therapies, including interpretation of various claims of drug efficacy.
