NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium enables new searches

The USA's National Comprehensive Cancer Network Drugs & Biologics Compendium now includes an on-line tool to improve and optimize user searches. Cancer case managers, managed care decision-makers and other health care professionals will now be able to explore the compendium database more easily and quickly, it notes.

Based on the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, the compendium delineates uses of drugs and biologics in the care of cancer patients, listing Food and Drug Administration-approved disease indications and specific NCCN recommendations for use, as well as defining levels of evidence and categories of consensus supporting the recommendations.

The compendium is divided into chapters based on cancer type. Previously, users would have to refer to multiple chapters to collect information. The new function searches across all the compendium chapters. In addition, it allows users to search via categories such as the generic and trade names of drugs and biologics as well as disease, pharmacologic class and histology.