The purpose of this volume was originally to condense and update Drugs and Pregnancy second edition. However, the book has evolved into a larger project since its inception in 2000. The total length of the original typescript was approximately three times the number of pages for which the publisher contracted. First strategy suggested was to eliminate the large number of references, but this was not acceptable. The final compromise developed was to post the full bibliography and supporting materials on a website for the book – http://www.drugsandpregnancy.com.
It is intended for the content of this book to be updated and corrected – as necessary – approximately four times per year. These additions to the book will be posted to the website above, which will be maintained by the publisher. In addition, a searchable index of proprietary and generic names is provided on the website.
In addition, a link to TERIS is provided on the website, and the reader is strongly encouraged to use TERIS in counseling patients who have been exposed to a medication during pregnancy. The information in TERIS has been vetted by leading authorities in the field, and is tantamount to high quality peer reviewed literature. It was through working on the development of TERIS (writing agent summaries, knowledgebase design) from 1985 to 1989 that I became deeply interested in human teratology.
Links to other sites that may be of use to readers of this book will also be included on the website. A feature under development for http://www.drugsandpregnancy.com is a current literature alert window. We have developed an automated search agent that will identify new publications (journal articles, books, etc.) relevant to human teratology, and will post those to the website under CURRENT LITERATURE ALERTS. This will assist the reader in maintaining access to up-to-date information. The main advantage of having a website accompany the published book is currency of information. Books usually take a year or longer to reach the reader after the author has completed the typescript, and may already be out-of-date by the time of release.
I thank the publisher for providing this option to:
(1) maintain scholarly references for the book’s content,
(2) provide readers the most recent information available, and
(3) refer readers to other authoritative sources such as TERIS.
- The Author -
Product Details
- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: A Hodder Arnold Publication; 1 edition (November 1, 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0340809175
- ISBN-13: 978-0340809174
- Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
List Price: $45.00