What is the purpose of the Orange Book in pharmacy practice?

The Orange Book, officially known as "Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations," serves a crucial role in pharmacy practice by guiding generic substitutions. This resource, published by the FDA, provides healthcare professionals with information on drug products that are considered therapeutically equivalent. When a brand-name drug loses its patent protection, pharmacists can use the Orange Book to identify appropriate generic alternatives that can be safely substituted.

The therapeutic equivalence evaluations help pharmacists ensure that when patients receive generic versions of medications, they are receiving products that have the same clinical effect and safety profile as the brand-name drugs. This promotes cost savings for patients and ensures that they have access to equally effective treatments.

Although drug interactions, dosage calculations, and medication recalls are important aspects of pharmacy practice, they fall outside the primary function of the Orange Book, which is focused specifically on the equivalency and substitution of pharmaceutical products.