Since it was first launched in Autumn 1959, MIMS has evolved into a multiplatform drug reference that healthcare professionals rely on to find out about the latest drug launches and up-to-date prescribing information.
Editor Jenny Gowans said: “When MIMS launched it provided healthcare practitioners with a quick reference guide to the latest drugs on the market, but that market has changed drastically since 1959. MIMS has risen to the challenge of this complex market and now provides GPs with a complete, easy-to-use prescribing guide that includes drug interactions, dosing information and generics. In 2006 we also added drug comparison charts, guideline summaries and other vital resources.
“Haymarket acquired MIMS in 1963 which makes this useful reference guide one of our longest-running publications.”
MIMS’ page count has grown by 500 per cent in the past 50 years to make space for the latest prescription drugs and prescribing advice.
It has also changed the way it classifies drugs, both in print and online, to make it easier for practitioners to find the information they need quickly. The print edition lists drugs by pharmacological class and generic name. It also includes four resource chapters with drug comparison tables, guideline summaries, palliative care resources and pictures of diabetic and respiratory devices.
Gowans said that the changes have been designed on the basis of regular reader research to ensure that MIMS remains a practical prescribing guide for GPs, as well as a unique way for pharmaceutical companies to reach primary care professionals.
The MIMS website, which was relaunched in early 2009, offers a predictive search function, interactive guideline summaries, drug comparison tables and drug news.
Richard Yarwood, online publisher for Haymarket’s medical division, said: “MIMS in print has been and always will be an essential resource for primary care. However, our new website allows all healthcare professionals access to interactive MIMS prescribing resources and is a great foundation for expansion into other digital media.”
