Basic drug information resources MCQs With Answer

Introduction

Basic drug information resources MCQs With Answer is a focused learning set designed for B. Pharm students to master essential drug references, drug monographs, formularies, and electronic databases. This resource emphasizes practical skills in searching Micromedex, BNF, Martindale, USP, Indian Pharmacopoeia, PubMed and package inserts, interpreting drug interactions, contraindications, dosing, pharmacovigilance and therapeutic equivalence. By engaging with targeted multiple-choice questions, students reinforce clinical decision-making, evidence appraisal and safe medication use. Keywords: drug information resources, drug databases, drug monograph, pharmacovigilance, formularies, B. Pharm, drug interactions. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which resource is primarily used for comprehensive international drug monographs and clinical information including off-label uses?

• British National Formulary (BNF)
• Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference
• Indian Pharmacopoeia
• Daily Drug Bulletin

Correct Answer: Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference

Q2. Which database is best known for peer-reviewed chemical and biological information including structures and bioactivity for small molecules?

• PubMed
• DrugBank
• PubChem
• MedlinePlus

Correct Answer: PubChem

Q3. The official source for drug quality standards and monographs in India is:

• United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
• European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.)
• Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP)
• British Pharmacopoeia (BP)

Correct Answer: Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP)

Q4. Which resource provides concise prescribing guidance, dosing, and formulary information widely used in the UK?

• Micromedex
• British National Formulary (BNF)
• Goodman & Gilman
• ClinicalTrials.gov

Correct Answer: British National Formulary (BNF)

Q5. For regulatory approval status, labeling and safety communications for drugs in the United States, which source is most appropriate?

• World Health Organization (WHO) site
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website
• European Medicines Agency (EMA)
• National Library of Medicine catalog

Correct Answer: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website

Q6. Which resource focuses on drug–drug interaction checks, dosing adjustments and evidence summaries for clinical use?

• Martindale
• Micromedex
• RxNorm
• Drug Name Registrar

Correct Answer: Micromedex

Q7. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification is primarily used to:

• Provide chemical structures of drugs
• Classify drugs by therapeutic use and mechanism
• List manufacturing routes for active ingredients
• Offer patient education leaflets

Correct Answer: Classify drugs by therapeutic use and mechanism

Q8. Which index helps identify bioequivalent generic products and therapeutic equivalence?

• Orange Book (FDA)
• PubChem Compound ID
• ClinicalTrials.gov
• Martindale index

Correct Answer: Orange Book (FDA)

Q9. Which resource is most appropriate to find evidence from clinical trials and biomedical literature?

• PubMed
• Micromedex
• BNF
• Drug package insert only

Correct Answer: PubMed

Q10. The primary purpose of a drug monograph is to provide:

• Pharmaceutical company annual revenue
• Comprehensive drug information including indications, dosing, interactions and adverse effects
• Only chemical synthesis steps
• Hospital formulary administrators’ contact list

Correct Answer: Comprehensive drug information including indications, dosing, interactions and adverse effects

Q11. Which source offers standardized names and codes to support electronic prescribing and interoperability?

• RxNorm
• BNF
• Martindale
• WHO Model List

Correct Answer: RxNorm

Q12. For up-to-date safety alerts, recalls and adverse event reporting in India, which organization should be consulted?

• Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)
• European Medicines Agency (EMA)
• Pharmacopeia Commission
• Indian Council of Medical Research only

Correct Answer: Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)

Q13. Which database integrates drug data with genomic and proteomic information to support drug discovery?

• ClinicalTrials.gov
• DrugBank
• BNF
• IP

Correct Answer: DrugBank

Q14. When evaluating a drug’s pharmacokinetics and mechanism at a molecular level, the best reference among the choices is:

• Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics
• BNF dosing tables only
• Orange Book
• Hospital medicine protocols

Correct Answer: Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics

Q15. Which resource would you use to check excipient compatibility, parenteral stability, and IV admixture compatibility?

• Micromedex IV Compatibility
• PubChem compound summary
• DrugBank summary
• Martindale index

Correct Answer: Micromedex IV Compatibility

Q16. The term “off-label use” in drug information refers to:

• Using a drug after its expiration date
• Use of a drug for an indication, age group, dose, or route not approved by regulatory authorities
• Purchasing drugs without prescription
• Manufacturing a generic version

Correct Answer: Use of a drug for an indication, age group, dose, or route not approved by regulatory authorities

Q17. Which source is most suitable for validated, concise patient education leaflets and consumer drug information?

• Micromedex Consumer Health
• Orange Book
• RxNorm
• ATC index

Correct Answer: Micromedex Consumer Health

Q18. When searching drug information, which practice improves search precision in databases?

• Using broad, generic search terms only
• Combining keywords with Boolean operators and using filters
• Searching without filters for speed
• Relying solely on Google hits

Correct Answer: Combining keywords with Boolean operators and using filters

Q19. Which resource would give official monograph specifications for active pharmaceutical ingredients and quality control tests for marketed drugs?

• Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) or United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
• BNF prescribing notes
• ClinicalTrials.gov registry
• PubMed reviews

Correct Answer: Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) or United States Pharmacopeia (USP)

Q20. What is the primary function of a drug formulary in a hospital setting?

• To list all over-the-counter products available worldwide
• To guide rational, cost-effective and evidence-based selection of medicines for use in that institution
• To provide chemical synthesis details
• To publish pharmaceutical sales figures

Correct Answer: To guide rational, cost-effective and evidence-based selection of medicines for use in that institution

Q21. Pharmacovigilance primarily involves:

• Marketing new drugs globally
• Monitoring, detecting and preventing adverse drug reactions and ensuring drug safety
• Designing chemical synthesis pathways
• Regulating pharmacy retail pricing

Correct Answer: Monitoring, detecting and preventing adverse drug reactions and ensuring drug safety

Q22. For checking pediatric dosing and neonate pharmacotherapy, which type of resource is most reliable?

• General adult dosing charts
• Specialized pediatric formularies and pediatric sections of drug databases
• Marketing brochures
• Historical compendia from 1950s

Correct Answer: Specialized pediatric formularies and pediatric sections of drug databases

Q23. What does an Evidence Grade or Level indicate in drug information resources?

• The manufacturing cost of the drug
• The strength and quality of the supporting clinical evidence for a recommendation
• The chemical purity only
• The shelf life in months

Correct Answer: The strength and quality of the supporting clinical evidence for a recommendation

Q24. Which information should be verified first when using a package insert as a primary drug information source?

• Drug trade show history
• Indications, dosage, contraindications and adverse effects as approved by regulatory authority
• Company marketing slogans
• Number of manufacturing employees

Correct Answer: Indications, dosage, contraindications and adverse effects as approved by regulatory authority

Q25. Which tool helps identify legal status and scheduling of controlled substances across jurisdictions?

• ClinicalTrials.gov
• National drug schedules and controlled substances lists from regulatory agencies
• Drug interaction checkers only
• PubChem substance ID

Correct Answer: National drug schedules and controlled substances lists from regulatory agencies

Q26. When assessing reliability of an online drug information source, which factor is least relevant?

• Author credentials and editorial review
• Transparency about references and update frequency
• Site color scheme and graphic design
• Affiliation with recognized institutions or regulatory bodies

Correct Answer: Site color scheme and graphic design

Q27. Which resource provides summaries of adverse reaction case reports and global safety signals maintained by an international organization?

• WHO Uppsala Monitoring Centre (VigiBase) and related WHO pharmacovigilance tools
• Orange Book
• RxNorm vocabulary
• Pharmacopoeial monographs

Correct Answer: WHO Uppsala Monitoring Centre (VigiBase) and related WHO pharmacovigilance tools

Q28. To verify maximum recommended adult dose and renal dose adjustments for a drug, which combined sources are most appropriate?

• Manufacturer press releases only
• Regulatory-approved product label (package insert) and clinical databases like Micromedex or BNF
• Social media anecdotal posts
• Old textbooks without updates

Correct Answer: Regulatory-approved product label (package insert) and clinical databases like Micromedex or BNF

Q29. What is the advantage of using a tertiary drug information source (e.g., textbooks, compendia) over primary literature?

• Tertiary sources are always more current than primary studies
• They synthesize, summarize and interpret primary and secondary literature for easier clinical application
• They eliminate the need to understand study quality
• They provide raw clinical trial datasets only

Correct Answer: They synthesize, summarize and interpret primary and secondary literature for easier clinical application

Q30. Best practice when encountering conflicting recommendations between two authoritative drug resources is to:

• Always follow the older recommendation
• Ignore both and use personal judgment only
• Critically appraise the evidence, check update dates, regulatory labels and consult specialists or institutional policy
• Choose the recommendation with longer text

Correct Answer: Critically appraise the evidence, check update dates, regulatory labels and consult specialists or institutional policy

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