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Unified Medical Language System® (UMLS®)

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GS Source Information

Click on a topic below the Source Synopsis section to display details.

Source Synopsis

Web site:
https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/drug-database

Authority
Elsevier is a leading developer of clinical information software, services and solutions.

Purpose
The purpose of the Gold Standard Drug Database (formerly Alchemy) is to supply healthcare systems and applications with built-in integrated functionality, reliable content and decision support tools.

Description
Gold Standard Drug Database includes drug product data, drug images, pricing information, professional monographs, patient education and clinical decision support data.

RxNorm Scope
The RxNorm representation of the Gold Standard Drug Database includes only branded clinical drugs, generic clinical drugs, and ingredients.

Audience
Gold Standard Drug Database is used by health care professionals and organizations.

Update Frequency
Gold Standard Drug Database is updated regularly.

RxNorm Update Frequency
Gold Standard Drug Database is updated in each RxNorm monthly release.

Sites Consulted

  1. Gold Standard Drug Database [Internet]. Global (English): Elsevier; c2018. [cited 2018 Dec 12]. Available from: https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/drug-database

Metadata

Field Value
Short NameGold Standard Drug Database
FamilyGS
Source Restriction Level3
LanguageENG
License ContactRxNorm Customer Service
U.S. National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda
MD
United States
20894
(888) FIND-NLM
rxnorminfo@nlm.nih.gov
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm/
Content Contact1-866-344-2088
https://service.elsevier.com/app/contact/supporthub/gsdd/

Source Representation

This section lists specific source data elements and provides information on their representation in RxNorm.

Summary of Changes

There are no changes to the original data format or to RxNorm source processing.

Source Provided Files:

The GS data files are available from: 

https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/drug-database

The following files are used for RxNorm source processing.

File Name

Description

AMP_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

Excel file containing information on product codes and names

AMP_Identifiers_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

Excel file containing information on NDC and UPC codes

Ingredient_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

Excel file containing information on ingredients

Source-Provided Files: Details

The following is a list of fields in the GS source files used in RxNorm processing and their representations in RxNorm.

File name: AMP_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

#

Field Name

Description

RxNorm Representation

1

AlchemyMarketedProductId

GS product identifier

RXNCONSO.CODE

2

AlchemyMarketedProductName

GS product name

RXNCONSO.STR

TTY = BD

CODE = AlchemyMarketedProductId

Created if CompanyId = TRUE

and

NDC11 or UPC row is present in AMP_Identifiers


TTY = CD

CODE = AlchemyMarketedProductId

Created if CompanyId = FALSE and NDC11 or UPC row is present in AMP Identifiers

3

CompanyID

Not applicable

Not applicable

4

Brand

Indicates Branded Drug or Clinical Drug

Used to assign TTY:

TRUE:  TTY = BD

FALSE: TTY = CD

5

SpecificProductName

Not applicable

Not applicable

File name: AMP_Identifiers_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

#

Field Name

Description

RxNorm Representation

1

AlchemyMarketedProductId

GS product identifier


2

TypeName

Type of identifier; valid values are:

NDC11

NHRIC

UPC

If an NDC11 or UPC code exists, the AlchemyMarketedProductId is processed for RxNorm

3

Identifier

Identifier value

RXNSAT.ATN = NDC if TypeName = NDC11

4

AlchemyPackageID

Not applicable

Not applicable

5

ReplacedDate

Not applicable

Not applicable

6

ReplacedEffectiveDate

Not applicable

Not applicable

7

ReplacedByAlchemyPackageID

Not applicable

Not applicable

8

OffMarket

Date product was removed from market

Used in determining atom and attribute suppressibility

9

LotExpiry

???

Not applicable

File name: Ingredient_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

#

Field Name

Description

RxNorm Representation

1

IngredientID

Ingredient identifier

RXNCONSO.CODE

2

IngredientName

Ingredient name

RXNCONSO.STR

TTY = IN

RxNorm Representation

This section lists RxNorm data elements and traces them back to the specific GS data that populates them.

Summary of Changes

There are no changes to the original data format or to RxNorm source processing.

Source Provided Files:

The following files are used for RxNorm source processing.

File Name

Description

AMP_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

Excel file containing information on product codes and names

AMP_Identifiers_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

Excel file containing information on NDC and UPC codes

Ingredient_YYYY_MM_DD.csv

Excel file containing information on ingredients

RxNorm Identifiers:

Identifiers are assigned as follows:

Identifier

Origin

CODE

AlchemyMarketedProductId for TTY = BD, CD

IngredientID for TTY = IN

SAUI

Not applicable

SCUI

Not applicable

SDUI

Not applicable

Atoms (RXNCONSO):

Term Type

Origin

BD

CODE = AMP_YYYY_MM_DD. AlchemyMarketedProductId

STR = AMP_YYYY_MM_DD. AlchemyMarketedProductName

SUPPRESS = N or O, based on OffMarket values

SUPPRESS = Y assigned by editors


Created if AMP_YYYY_MM_DD.Brand = TRUE and

there is an NDC11 or UPC row in AMP_Identifiers_YYYY_MM_DD

CD

CODE = AMP_YYYY_MM_DD. AlchemyMarketedProductId

STR = AMP_YYYY_MM_DD. AlchemyMarketedProductName

SUPPRESS = N or O, based on OffMarket values

SUPPRESS = Y assigned by editors


Created if AMP_YYYY_MM_DD.Brand = FALSE and

there is an NDC11 or UPC row in AMP_Identifiers_YYYY_MM_DD

IN

CODE = Ingredient_YYYY_MM_DD.IngredientID

STR = Ingredient_YYYY_MM_DD.csv.IngredientName

MTH_RXN_BD

Created to resolve NDC conflicts.  See:  RxNorm Technical Documentation (nih.gov)

MTH_RXN_CD

Created to resolve NDC conflicts.  See:  RxNorm Technical Documentation (nih.gov)


Relationships (RXNREL):

No relationships are created within GS

Attributes (RXNSAT):

ATN

Origin

NDC

AMP_Identifiers_YYYY_MM_DD.Identifier, where TypeName = NDC11


For TTY = RXN_CD, RXN_BD:  SUPRESS = N

For other TTYs:

SUPPRESS = N or O, based on OffMarket values

SUPPRESS = Y assigned by editors

Data Examples with Sample Database Queries

This section lists source terminology specific data examples and sample database queries using Structured Query Language (SQL) to obtain the data. For more information about RxNorm data and files, see the RxNorm Technical Documentation.

Names and Codes in RXNCONSO.RRF

Here are sample source terminology code, source string, RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier (RXCUI), RxNorm string, term type (TTY), and suppress values.

SOURCE_CODE SOURCE_STR RXCUI RXNORM_STR RXNORM_TTY SUPPRESS
586 Ibuprofen 200mg Oral tablet 310965 Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet SCD N

Here is a sample database query to retrieve the data above:

SELECT distinct rc1.code as source_code, rc1.str as source_str, rc1.rxcui, rc2.str as rxnorm_str, rc2.tty as rxnorm_tty , rc2.suppress
FROM rxnconso rc1, rxnconso rc2
WHERE rc1.code = '586'
     AND rc1.sab = 'GS'
     AND rc1.rxcui = rc2.rxcui
     AND rc2.sab = 'RXNORM'
     AND rc2.tty in ('SCD','SBD','GPCK','BPCK');

Names and Relationships in RXNCONSO.RRF and RXNREL.RRF

Here are sample source terminology code, source string, RXCUI, relationship name, RxNorm term type (TTY), RxNorm brand name, and suppress values.

SOURCE_CODE SOURCE_STR RXCUI RELA RXNORM_TTY RXNORM_BN SUPPRESS
1611 ibuprofen 5640 has_tradename BN Pediacare Fever N
1611 ibuprofen 5640 has_tradename BN Xylon N
1611 ibuprofen 5640 has_tradename BN Dragon Tabs N
1611 ibuprofen 5640 has_tradename BN Ibutab N

Here is a sample database query to retrieve the data above:

SELECT distinct rc1.code as source_code, rc1.str as source_str, rc1.rxcui, rr.rela, rc2.tty as rxnorm_tty, rc2.str as rxnorm_bn, rc2.suppress
FROM rxnconso rc1, rxnrel rr, rxnconso rc2
WHERE rc1.code = '1611'
     AND rc1.sab = 'GS'
     AND rc1.rxcui = rr.rxcui2
     AND rr.rela = 'has_tradename'
     AND rr.rxcui1 = rc2.rxcui
     AND rc2.sab = 'RXNORM'
     AND rc2.tty = 'BN'
     ORDER BY suppress;

National Drug Code (NDC) and Names in RXNSAT.RRF and RXNCONSO.RRF

Here are sample source NDC, RXCUI, TTY, RxNorm string, and suppress values.

NDC RXCUI RXNORM_TTY RXNORM_STR SUPPRESS
00113-0628-71 310965 SCD Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet N
00113-0995-85 310965 SCD Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet N
00904-7915-24 310965 SCD Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet N
11845-0977-07 310965 SCD Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet N

Here is a sample database query to retrieve the data above:

SELECT distinct rs.atv as ndc, rs.rxcui, rc.tty as rxnorm_tty, rc.str as rxnorm_str, rs.suppress
FROM rxnsat rs, rxnconso rc
WHERE rs.atn = 'NDC'
     AND rs.sab = 'GS'
     AND rs.rxcui = rc.rxcui
     AND rc.sab = 'RXNORM'
     AND rc.tty in ('SCD','SBD','GPCK','BPCK')
     AND rc.rxcui = '310965'
     ORDER BY suppress;

Last Reviewed: December 2, 2024