Board Certified Drug Information Specialist (BCDIS)

The Board Certified Drug Information Specialist (BCDIS) credential is awarded to pharmacists who demonstrate advanced competence in retrieving, evaluating, interpreting, and communicating drug-related information to support evidence-based clinical decision-making. This certification reflects a pharmacist’s ability to critically appraise biomedical literature, manage and deliver structured drug information services, and provide accurate, unbiased, and timely medication guidance to healthcare professionals, patients, and health systems. Board Certified Drug Information Specialists play a key role in promoting medication safety, formulary and policy development, quality improvement, and the responsible use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, across institutional, ambulatory, and community practice settings.

Exam Outline

Domain 1: Drug Information Resources & Information Retrieval (30%)

(Drug Information Sources and Search Skills)

Focuses on the specialist’s ability to efficiently identify, access, and retrieve accurate drug information.

Includes:

• Primary, secondary, and tertiary drug information resources

• Medical and scientific databases (e.g., bibliographic and full-text resources)

• Structured and systematic search strategies

• Clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements

• Regulatory and labeling information

• Informatics systems supporting drug information practice

Domain 2: Drug Literature Evaluation & Evidence-Based Analysis (35%)

(Critical Appraisal and Interpretation of Evidence)

Evaluates competency in assessing the quality and applicability of biomedical literature.

Includes:

• Critical appraisal of randomized controlled trials and non-RCT studies

• Biostatistics and interpretation of statistical results

• Bias, confounding, and study limitations

• Pharmacoeconomic evaluations

• Evidence grading and strength of recommendations

• Application of evidence to patient-specific and population-level decisions

• Journal clubs and scholarly review processes

Domain 3: Design, Management, and Delivery of Drug Information Services (25%)

(Operational and Professional Practice of Drug Information)

Covers the practical and managerial aspects of providing drug information services.

Includes:

• Structured approach to responding to drug information inquiries

• Professional communication of drug information

• Drug information services in hospitals, ambulatory care, and community practice

• Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee support

• Drug evaluation monographs

• Drug shortages and counterfeit drug management

• Medication safety, quality improvement, and medication use systems

• Policy, procedure, and guideline development

• Project management related to drug information services

Domain 4: Professional, Ethical, Legal, and Technological Governance (10%)

(Ethics, Regulation, and Responsible Use of Technology)

Addresses governance, compliance, and emerging ethical challenges in drug information practice.

Includes:

• Legal aspects of drug information practice

• Ethical principles in drug information provision

• Conflict of interest and assessment of drug promotion

• Peer review and media relations

• Responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence in drug information:

  • AI-assisted literature search and summarization

  • Verification and human oversight of AI outputs

  • Data privacy, bias, transparency, and accountability

  • Professional responsibility when using AI-generated information

Recommended Resources

The following resources are provided as examples of study materials that may support preparation for the Board Certified Self-Care Specialist (BCSCS) examination. This list is illustrative and not exhaustive. Candidates are encouraged to consult current clinical guidelines, evidence-based literature, and continuing education programs in self-care and community pharmacy practice.

Core References:

• Drug Information: A Guide for Pharmacists, 7th Edition
  Patrick M. Malone, Benjamin A. Witt, Meghan J. Malone, David M. Peterson, McGraw Hill Education

  The foundational reference for drug information practice, covering information retrieval, literature evaluation, evidence-based decision-making, service design, medication safety, and professional responsibilities.

Supplemental Resources:

• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
  Selected ASHP guidelines, policy statements, and best-practice documents related to drug information services, formulary management, medication safety, and medication-use systems.

• Drug Information Databases and Evidence Retrieval Tools

  • PubMed / MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine)

  • Cochrane Library

  • Lexicomp®

  • Micromedex®

  • Clinical Pharmacology®