NWT Interchangeability Formulary

How do I use the site?

There are three major sections to the NWT Interchangeability (IC) Formulary. The home page or search page lets you set one or a series of criteria to find a specific drug. Once you enter your criteria and submit your search, you are taken to the results page. When you click on a DIN in the results page, you are taken to the drug details page which provides pertinent DIN information and a list of drugs that are interchangeable.

How can I quickly and easily navigate the website?

Click the 'NWT Interchangeability Formulary' image at the top of the page will return you to the home page at any time. When you are on the results page or drug details page, you can click the Refine Search button to take one step back in your search process.

I am seeing a message that says "Please select a Therapeutic Classification or a Manufacturer or enter a Keyword longer than 2 characters" - What does this mean?

In order to ensure that your search results are easy to review, you must select from at least one criteria or enter a keyword longer than two characters. If you see this message, you will need to be more specific with your search criteria. For example, if you did a search for all 'Brand Name' drugs that start with the letter 'A', you will need to provide a few more letters of the drug brand name, or include criteria for a specific Manufacturer.

How does the results page grid work?

The results page data grid has some advanced features which allow you to customize the layout of information. Your search results can be sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking the header row of the data column.

How can I increase the size of the font on the site?

If you are having difficulty reading the default font size it can be increased in your web browser. In Chrome, click the 'Menu Icon' and adjust the 'Zoom' value. In Firefox, click the 'Menu Icon' button and adjust the 'Zoom' value.

What browser and screen resolution should I use?

The site is designed for use at 800x600 or higher. We recommend utilizing Internet Explorer 6 or 7, although the site will also work with Firefox 1.5 and 2.0.

How do I search for Interchangeable products by their COMPLETE name or DIN/PIN?

1. On the Home Page, ensure that the "Therapeutic Classification" drop-down menu is set to "All Therapeutic Classifications" and the "Manufacturer" drop-down menu is set to "All Manufacturers"
2. Enter the complete Generic Name, Brand Name or DIN/PIN to be searched in the "Keyword" field (e.g. paroxetine)
3. Ensure the appropriate button under the "Keyword" field is selected for the search (e.g. Generic Name)
4. Click on the SEARCH button or press [ENTER] on the keyboard
5. This will take you to the first inside RESULTS page listing all paroxetine products considered interchangeable in NWT ("INT" column is populated with "YES").

How do I search for Interchangeable products using the BEGINNING of their name or DIN/PIN?

1. On the Home Page, ensure that the "Therapeutic Classification" drop-down menu is set to "All Therapeutic Classifications" and the "Manufacturer" drop-down menu is set to "All Manufacturers"
2. Enter the beginning of the name string or DIN/PIN to be searched in the "Keyword" field (e.g. "pa")
3. Ensure the appropriate button under the "Keyword" field is selected for the search (e.g. Generic Name)
4. Check the box for "Search for Products that begin with Keyword entered"
5. Click on the SEARCH button or press [ENTER] on the keyboard
6. This will take you to the first inside RESULTS page listing all products considered interchangeable in NWT with a Generic Name beginning with "pa" ("INT" column is populated with "YES").

NOTE: A more general search string such as "pa" can return additional results during the search (e.g. additional DINs for pamidronate products).

How do I determine which specific products are Interchangeable with each other?

1. From the first inside RESULTS page, select the desired reference product (e.g. PAXIL TAB 30MG) by clicking on the highlighted DIN/PIN (e.g. 01940473) or on the highlighted YES in the "INT" column.
2. This will take you to the second inside DIN DETAILS page listing all paroxetine 30mg products that are interchangeable in NWT with Paxil 30mg and with each other.

I cannot find the DIN I am looking for. Where is it?

The NWT IC Formulary is NOT a comprehensive list of every DIN. It ONLY lists those DINs which have been deemed interchangeable within the Northwest Territories. If you cannot find the drug you are looking for, then it may not be interchangeable.

How often is the NWT Interchangeability Formulary Updated?

The NWT IC Formulary is updated once every three months according to the following schedule: May 1, August 1, November 1, and February 1.

I have a question regarding why something is/ is not interchangeable. Who should I contact?

If you have questions about the allocation of certain drugs as interchangeable, please contact Cubic Health via the information provided on the 'Contact Us' Page.

Who is Cubic Health?

Cubic Health is a drug plan management firm founded by practicing pharmacists that was engaged by the Government of the Northwest Territories to create this searchable Interchangeability Formulary and provide relevant updates on a quarterly basis.