NIH Clinical Center Pharmacy Department - Pharmacy Services

The NIH Clinical Center Pharmacy Department provides pharmaceutical care to inpatients and outpatients on NIH intramural research protocols at the NIH Clinical Center. The Clinical Center facility encompasses 200 inpatient beds, 93 day-hospital stations, and 15 clinics. Clinical Center pharmacy staff provide sophisticated research support to health care providers as well as clinical investigators. Pharmacists conduct and participate in research programs that enhance knowledge regarding investigational drugs and new uses of commercially available agents.

The Pharmacy Department's Investigational Drug Management and Research Section manages investigational drugs through a computerized information system, assists investigators in setting up double-blind studies and filing Investigational New Drug (IND) applications with the FDA. Pharmacists at the NIH Clinical Center manage commercially available and investigational drugs in approximately 1,000 research protocols including 200 blinded studies.

Service Offerings

• Distributive Services
  • Drug Distribution Services include concurrent drug use review; preparation and distribution of sterile and non-sterile products; and investigational drug dispensing to inpatients and ambulatory patients.
• Clinical Programs
  • Clinical Programs include participation in drug selection and experimental protocol design and implementation; monitoring patient response to drug therapy; patient education; provision of drug information; drug use evaluation; and patient counseling.
• Investigational Drug Management
  • Investigational Drug Management includes protocol support activities, investigational drug information development, and control and accountability of investigational agents.
• FDA Observations and Clinical Center Responses