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Many of you received new gadgets recently. What fun! Besides being fun, our phones and tablet computers can be used in a variety of ways to further patient care. The most likely use for the pharmacist is supplying drug info at the point of care.

All the following apps use accurate, peer-reviewed information.  All of them offer over the  air "instant" updates, unless otherwise specified.  Updates always require some kind of internet access (wi-fi or cellular data), though some apps allow access to drug info without internet access.

I have some screen grabs from the iOS version of a few of the apps running on an iPad.  Click on the thumbnails for a bigger view.

Medscape (free) - The Medscape app is a condensed version of their website. You must have a free user account to use the app.  The app features a news area which sends tailored alerts to your device. It also links you to current CE in your area. 

• Medscape allows you to download the drug database so you can use it without an active connection, or access it over the air if you're running short on space.  
• Medscape has information on administration and dilutions, but no specific IV compatibility tool. It does have a drug interaction tool.  It has the standard adult and pediatric dosing,interactions and adverse effects. It also has cost information and some basic mechanism and pharmacokinetics.
• You can search by brand or generic name.  Unique for a free app, you can also search conditions and get treatment guidelines.  The app has information on medical procedures too.
• This free app is one of my faves for quick, clinical information.  If you're used to using Medscape online, you'll love it. The news alerts can be informative.  It's very intuitive and has a wealth of information for any health care provider.  The drug info is pretty detailed.
• Requires 3.7 MB, more for the entire drug library to be downloaded.
• Available on iOs (iPod, iPad and iPhone).  They had a blackberry app, but it's not available.  Android coming soon.

Lexi-Drugs ($119.99/yr)  - I used this as a student. so I am a little biased.  I still love it today.  It's got the most complete drug information of any mobile application.  The downside is that each database is purchased separately.

•  The Lexi-Drugs database is downloaded to your phone. You can use it without an active connection.
• The app has information about contraindications and considerations, advanced dosing, detailed mechanisms, medical calculator and  kinetic info, off label indications and Clinical Practice Guidelines with links to PubMed references to find out more.  The drug database has information for a few specialties, and you can purchase more.  IV Compatibility is separate ($75/year), but a drug interaction database comes with the subscription.
• You can search by brand, generic names or pharmacologic category.  Unique to Lexi-Drugs is the ability to search for some foreign drug names.
• If you're often away from your PC and often need complex drug info on the floor or bedside, this is the app for you.  It's especially useful on the iPad because it contains all of the info found in the Lexi-drug handbooks, and the charts display beautifully on the large screen.  It's great for students.  I particularly like the Clinical Guidelines. I don't like the way app is laid out, and I think some other apps have a more intuitive interface.
• Requires 350 mb free to install.  
• Available on iOS, Android, Blackberry and Palm
• You can try it for free for 30 days. Download the "Lexi-Comp" app which is marked "free."

Epocrates (free to  is $159/yr) - Epocrates is probably the most widely used drug information application, and it's pretty good.  You can get the basic drug guide for free.  

• Epocrates makes most information accessible without an active connection, but a few things require it.
• The drug information is pretty inclusive and updated frequently.  It has some basic mechanisms, pricing, health plan formulary information and dosing information  The free version has drug interactions, a tablet ID guide and a medical calculator.    IV Compatibility is an add-on with the subscriptions. The subscriptions give you access to treatment guidelines, herbal medications,lab tests and a medical dictionary.
• Epocrates is the most widely used drug info app, and it's updated frequently.  I think it comes in handy especially for the formulary and pricing.  I don't know anything about insurance or retail prices, but I'm often asked.  
• Search by brand or generic in the free version.  The paid versions allow you to search other options, including disease states with treatment options.
• Requires a minimum of 8 MB
• Available on iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Palm

Davis's Drug Guide ($49.95 from Unbound Medicine) - Davis's Drug Guide is less comprehensive than the others, but it has some neat charts and teaching points. It is very popular with nursing staff. I think they use the book version in many nursing schools.

•  You must have access to a data network to use Davis's Drug Guide.
• It has detailed IV administration and compatibility.  For hospital pharmacists, I would get the guide aimed at nurses (there is one aimed at MDs that has less administration information).  
• Search by generic and trade names and therapeutic classes.
• This isn't the top notch app for drug information, but it does give some information on administration and dilution that is hard to find in some of the other guides.   To be quite honest, most of that info is found in the Medscape app.  I don't actually own this one, but it is very popular with nurses and nursing instructors so you can probably find a nurse who has it on their phone, like I did, to play with it. 
• Requires a minimum of 7 MB.  
• Available on iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Palm.  
• There are actually two apps for Davis's Drug Guide: one by Skyscape and one by Unbound Medicine. One is listed as "free," but it requires a purchase of the database.  The one I reviewed is the "Unbound Medicine" app.  

I didn't mention mobileMicromedex because it requires a subscription to regular Micromedex, but it's a nice backup to Micromedex. It is marked as "free" in the app store, but it's only free to existing Micromedex subscribers. It's not available for purchase separately.