TechTool review of LactMed by National Library of Medicine on iOS and Android
Website: – iTunes - Android - Website
LactMed provides information about the side effects of medicines when breastfeeding. It is part of the National Library of Medicine’s Toxicology Data Network. The user searches for the drug they are prescribing and detailed results come back from the database about potential adverse effects.
Design and User Interface
- It would be fair to say the design is pretty boring. But then it is just a drug toxicity database, so the need to jazz that up is questionable. The UI is certainly clear. There is no confusion about how to use the app and everything works exactly as it’s supposed to.
Clinical Content
This database seems to have every drug you would ever want to use (yes, I extend that as a challenge to readers!). After selecting a drug (either by drug name or drug category) the user is provided with comprehensive information
- Drug levels for toxicity
- Effects on the baby
- Effects on lactation
- Possible alternative drugs to use
- A full list of references for the information provided
- A nice summary page if you don’t have time to go through all the more details sections mentioned above
Cost
- It’s free
Room for Improvement
- Some improved design would give the users a bit of joy when using the app
- The Home tab is an unnecessary page as it only provides links to the other tabs – they should remove
Overall
I’m finding it rather hard to get excited about this app. But it is practical and I do think it will come in handy in ED (and also particularly for GPs). The bottom line is – it doesn’t set the heather alight but there’s nothing major to complain about. And it’s free, so why not?
About Tessa Davis
