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Unified Medical Language System® (UMLS®)

RxNorm Release Notes

April Release - 04/05/2021

For additional information about RxNorm releases, including scripts for loading the RxNorm data into Oracle and MySQL databases, read the RxNorm Technical Documentation.


Sources

The following sources with version names in bold have been updated since the previous RxNorm release:

Source NameSABVersion
DrugBank DRUGBANK DRUGBANK5.0_2021_02_26
Gold Standard Drug Database GS GS_2021_03_10
Multum MediSource Lexicon MMSL MMSL_2021_03_01
Micromedex RED BOOK MMX MMX_2021_03_08
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) MSH MSH2021_2021_01_25
FDA Structured Product Labels MTHSPL MTHSPL_2021_03_26
FDB MedKnowledge (formerly NDDF Plus) NDDF NDDF_2021_03_10
RxNorm normalized names and codes RXNORM RXNORM_20AA_210405F
USP Compendial Nomenclature USP USP_2021_03_15
Veterans Health Administration National Drug File VANDF VANDF_2021_02_28


The following sources have not been updated since the previous RxNorm release:

Source NameSABVersion
Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System ATC ATC_2021
Vaccines Administered CVX CVX_2021_01_29
CMS Formulary Reference File MTHCMSFRF MTHCMSFRF_2020
US Edition of SNOMED CT (drug information) SNOMEDCT_US SNOMEDCT_US_2021_01_31

*Reminder: As of October 2017, Medi-Span data will not be included in the RxNorm or UMLS releases. If you have questions about Medi-Span, please contact: medispan-support@wolterskluwer.com.


RXNORM DATA CHANGES

New Qualitative Distinction

Qualitative Distinction (QD) modifiers allow flexibility in the RxNorm model to create a new RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier (RXCUI) or differentiate an existing medication concept when needed. The new QD modifier “PMDD” distinguishes products indicated for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

The April 2021 release includes the new “PMDD” QD for the following active concepts:

RXCUITTYString
2532159SCDPMDD fluoxetine 10 MG Oral Tablet
647555SBDPMDD fluoxetine 10 MG Oral Tablet [Sarafem]
803293SCDPMDD fluoxetine 15 MG Oral Tablet
803295SBDPMDD fluoxetine 15 MG Oral Tablet [Sarafem]
2532163SCDPMDD fluoxetine 20 MG Oral Tablet
647556SBDPMDD fluoxetine 20 MG Oral Tablet [Sarafem]

For each SCD or SBD with a QD, there is an associated attribute in RXNSAT with the attribute name (ATN) of 'RXN_QUALITATIVE_DISTINCTION'. The April release contains the following new attribute value (ATV) to match the QD strings found in the SCD and SBD normalized names:


RELATED NEWS

Did you know that RxClass includes Med-RT content, such as drugs that “may_treat” the DISEASE class COVID-19?  Explore the RxClass browser by entering “COVID-19” in the RxClass browser search bar, clicking "COVID-19" under "DISEASE", then click on a class hierarchy: https://mor.nlm.nih.gov/RxClass/

Learn more about RxClass and other web-based drug information resources on the RxNav landing page: https://rxnav.nlm.nih.gov/


Data Counts

Term Type or AttributeNumber
Active GPCKs437
Active BPCKs522
Active SCDs16477
Active SBDs9455
Active RXNORM MINs3739
Active RXNORM INs13254
Active RXNORM PINs3105
Active RXNORM BNs5149
Active RXNORM DFs121
  
Obsolete GPCKs235
Obsolete BPCKs202
Obsolete SCDs18793
Obsolete SBDs10772
Obsolete RXNORM MINs0
Obsolete RXNORM INs0
Obsolete RXNORM PINs0
Obsolete RXNORM BNs6100
Obsolete RXNORM DFs63
Editor-suppressed SCDs1804
Editor-suppressed SBDs1486
SAB=RXNORM NDCs250675
Distinct SAB=RXNORM NDCs250675

Last Reviewed: April 5, 2021