ArticleBMJ open2018
OpenPrescribing: normalised data and software tool to research trends in English NHS primary care prescribing 1998-2016.
Article in BMJ open, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
34 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effectiveness of interactive dashboards to optimize prescribing in general practice: a systematic review.Family practice · 2025Pooled it
- Optimal dose of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, venlafaxine, and mirtazapine in major depression: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.The lancet. Psychiatry · 2019Pooled it
- Prescribing for the patient and the planet: a pragmatic feasibility study of a behaviour change intervention to reduce liquid amoxicillin prescribing in primary care.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2026Article
- Trends in paediatric antiseizure-medication use and costs in France, 2014-2023: a nationwide population-based analysis.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2026Article
- Twenty-five year trend in antipsychotic medication prescribing in England: challenges and opportunities.BJPsych open · 2025Article
- Socioeconomic Deprivation and Opioid Consumption: An Analysis Across England.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Review
- Socioeconomic status and prescribing of ADHD medications: a study of ICB-level data in England.BMJ mental health · 2025Observational
- Developing and assessing the usability of a prescribing quality and safety dashboard in Irish general practice: protocol for a qualitative study.HRB open research · 2025Article
- RxTrends: An R-based Shiny Application for Visualising Open Data on Prescribed Medications in Ireland.HRB open research · 2025Article
- Automating incidence and prevalence analysis in open cohorts.BMC medical research methodology · 2024Article
- Private prescribing of controlled opioids in England, 2014-2021: a retrospective observational study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2024Observational
- A web tool for exploring the usage of medicines in hospitals in England.Wellcome open research · 2024Article
- [Efectividad de una intervención multimodal para la mejora de la atención al dolor crónico.]Revista espanola de salud publica · 2023Article
- Estimating the fitness cost and benefit of antimicrobial resistance from pathogen genomic data.Journal of the Royal Society, Interface · 2023Article
- Data-Driven Identification of Unusual Prescribing Behavior: Analysis and Use of an Interactive Data Tool Using 6 Months of Primary Care Data From 6500 Practices in England.JMIR medical informatics · 2023Article
- Article
- [Treatment of non-malignant chronic pain: paradigm shift and multidisciplinary management].Anales del sistema sanitario de Navarra · 2022Article
- PrAna: an R package to calculate and visualize England NHS primary care prescribing data.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2022Article
- Research Products Beyond the Research Paper: Reflections on User-Centered Evidence Synthesis From SeroTracker.Frontiers in research metrics and analytics · 2022Article
- Effect of antibiotic stewardship interventions in primary care on antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli bacteraemia in England (2013-18): a quasi-experimental, ecological, data linkage study.The Lancet. Infectious diseases · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesWe aimed to compile and normalise England's national prescribing data for 1998-2016 to facilitate research on long-term time trends and create an open-data exploration tool for wider use.
designWe compiled data from each individual year's national statistical publications and normalised them by mapping each drug to its current classification within the national formulary where possible. We created a freely accessible, interactive web tool to allow anyone to interact with the processed data. SETTING AND
participantsWe downloaded all available annual prescription cost analysis datasets, which include cost and quantity for all prescription items dispensed in the community in England. Medical devices and appliances were excluded. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured the extent of normalisation of data and aimed to produce a functioning accessible analysis tool.
resultsAll data were imported successfully. 87.5% of drugs were matched exactly on name to the current formulary and a further 6.5% to similar drug names. All drugs in core clinical chapters were reconciled to their current location in the data schema, with only 1.26% of drugs not assigned a current chemical code. We created an openly accessible interactive tool to facilitate wider use of these data.
conclusionsPublicly available data can be made accessible through interactive online tools to help researchers and policy-makers explore time trends in prescribing.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.