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Unified Medical Language System® (UMLS®)

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RXNORM Source Information

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

Source Synopsis

Web site:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm/

Authority
RxNorm, a standardized nomenclature for clinical drugs, is produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). RxNorm is one of a suite of designated standards for use in U.S. Federal government systems for the electronic exchange of clinical health information.

Purpose
The goal of RxNorm is to allow various systems using different drug nomenclatures to share data efficiently.

RxNorm provides standard names for clinical drugs (active ingredient + strength + dose form) and for dose forms as administered to a patient. It provides links from clinical drugs, both branded and generic, to their active ingredients, drug components (active ingredient + strength), and related brand names.

Description
RxNorm is intended to cover prescription medications currently approved for human use in the United States. Drugs are added to the vocabulary as new products are put on the U.S. market. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications will also be added when reliable information about the medications can be found

An RxNorm clinical drug name reflects the active ingredients, strengths, and dose form composing that drug. When any of these elements vary, a new RxNorm drug name is created as a separate concept. Thus, an RxNorm name should exist for every strength and dose of every available combination of clinically significant active ingredients.

National Drug Codes (NDCs) for specific drug products are linked to that product in RxNorm. RxNorm links its names to many of the drug vocabularies commonly used in pharmacy management and drug interaction software, including those of First Databank, Micromedex®, Medi-Span®, Gold Standard Drug Database, and Multum. By providing links between these vocabularies, RxNorm can mediate messages between systems not using the same software and vocabulary.

Update Frequency
RxNorm is updated weekly and monthly.

Sites Consulted

RxNorm [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2019 May 15 [cited 2019 May 15]. Available from: //www.nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm/; Overview: //www.nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm/overview.html

Metadata

Field Value
Short NameRXNORM
FamilyRXNORM
Source Restriction Level0
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 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/

Source Representation (currently unavailable)

RxNorm Representation (currently unavailable)

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 RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier (RXCUI), RxNorm string, term type (TTY), and suppress values.

RXCUI RXNORM_STR RXNORM_TTY SUPPRESS
310965 Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet SCD N
310965 ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet PSN N
310965 ibuprofen 200 MG (as ibuprofen sodium 256 MG) Oral Tablet SY N

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

SELECT rxcui, str as rxnorm_str, tty as rxnorm_tty, suppress
FROM rxnconso
WHERE code = '310965'
     AND sab = 'RXNORM';
    

Names and Relationships in RXNCONSO.RRF and RXNREL.RRF

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

RXCUI RXNORM_STR RELA RXNORM_TTY RXNORM_BN SUPPRESS
5640 ibuprofen has_tradename BN Advil Sinus Congestion and Pain N
5640 ibuprofen has_tradename BN Wal-Profen Congestion Relief and Pain N
5640 ibuprofen has_tradename BN Dragon Tabs N
5640 ibuprofen has_tradename BN Proprinal N

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

SELECT rc1.rxcui, rc1.str as rxnorm_str, rr.rela, rc2.tty as rxnorm_tty, rc2.str as rxnorm_bn, rc2.suppress
FROM rxnconso rc1, rxnrel rr, rxnconso rc2
WHERE rc1.rxcui = '5640'
     AND rc1.sab = 'RXNORM'
     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
00113062878 310965 SCD Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet N
00113064762 310965 SCD Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet N
00113099585 310965 SCD Ibuprofen 200 MG Oral Tablet N
00113760482 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 = 'RXNORM'
     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: March 31, 2020