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The Medicines Information Centre (MIC)
 The Medicines Information Centre (MIC) is situated within the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town?s Faculty of Health Sciences. It is the largest and only clinically-based medicine information centre in South Africa and provides information to both public and private sector health care professionals.
Established in 1980, it makes a valuable contribution towards supporting rational prescribing in South Africa. The Medicines Information Centre promotes the safe and effective use of medicines by providing unbiased, evidence-based information to its users.
For the past three years the MIC has operated its national medicines information service with funding from the National Department of Health.
The Medicines Information Centre is a leader in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of providing:
- Quality information via its query answering service and website (www.mic.uct.ac.za)
- A continuing professional development programme for health professionals
- Training for African delegates who want to set up drug information centres in their own countries
Mission Statement
To research and provide information and expert assistance on all matters pertaining to the rational use of medicines in southern Africa, thereby promoting the health of its people.
Services
Telephonic, Fax or Email Query-Answering Service to All Health Professionals?
Currently this functions Monday to Friday from 08h30 to 17h00. Information provided relates to:
- HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral therapy
- Adverse drug reactions
- Applied therapeutics, with special reference to at risk groups: the elderly, neonates, immuno-compromised patients, patients in renal and/or hepatic failure
- Drug interactions
- Drugs in porphyria
- Drug use in pregnancy and lactation
- Drug therapy
- Identification/availability of South African and international medicines
- Malaria prophylaxis and treatment
- Pharmaceutics and pharmacology
- Pharmacokinetics
- Psychopharmacology
Electronic Information Access
The Medicines Information Centre website at http://www.mic.uct.ac.za offers the following:
- South African antiretroviral drug interactions table
- Regularly updated MIC News
- Database on drug use in lactation
- Malaria prophylaxis and treatment advice
- South African malaria risk area map
Staff
The centre is staffed by 3 specially-trained and highly-skilled drug information pharmacists who share 42 years of drug information experience between them. They have direct access to:
- The latest information databases and reference sources
- The clinical expertise of consultants at the University of Cape Town?s Faculty of Health Sciences, Groote Schuur Hospital and the Red Cross War Memorial Children?s Hospital
- An international network of experts, and global resources including those of the World Health Organisation.
Clients
- General Practitioners and specialists Rural doctors
- Pharmacists, nurses, dentists
- Private and public sector hospitals
- Primary health care clinics
- Regulatory authorities
- Government policy makers
- Major pharmaceutical retailers & wholesalers
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Medical aid schemes
- Clinics providing antiretroviral therapy
Contact Information
Telephone (021) 406 6829 or 0861 100531
Facsimile (021) 448 0503
E-mail: [email protected]
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