Monthly Index of Medical Specialities

MIMS Prescribing Guide

MIMS is a pharmaceutical prescribing reference guide published in the UK since 1959 by Haymarket Media Group. The guide contains information about branded and generic drugs in the UK formulary. It is aimed at healthcare professionals, including general practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, nurses and secondary care specialists.

The print title is published quarterly (March, June, September and December), being sent gratis to all practice-based UK GPs who have registered to receive it, and on a paid basis to subscribers. Each new edition sees changes to the drug monographs, including the addition of new products and removal of deleted products. It is considered dangerous practice to refer to old editions.

Concise drug monographs form the core of MIMS; these include key safety information (contraindications, warnings, interactions and adverse effects) and details of the active ingredient, presentation, price, indication, dosage and manufacturer. Entries are independently compiled by the MIMS editorial team based on the full Summary of Product Characteristics. In addition, the book includes drug comparison tables, and summaries of clinical guidance.

Although MIMS also serves as a medical advertising medium, its editorial content is not influenced by pharmaceutical companies and products are included at the discretion of the Editor. Drugs that are blacklisted (i.e. not prescribable on the NHS) are not included and MIMS does not provide information on the unlicensed or off-label use of drugs.

MIMS Online

The MIMS website features a predictive search function that allows users to search the drug listings by brand, generic ingredient or drug class. Online versions of the comparison tables and guideline summaries are supplemented by additional web-only resources including clinical calculators and patient fact sheets. All the content is freely available except the drug listings. Registration is free for GPs but other users must subscribe.

MIMS App

A MIMS app is also available for iPhone, iPad and Android offering mobile access to the MIMS drug database and comparison tables.

MIMS Dermatology

Haymarket Group also publishes MIMS Dermatology, a six-monthly journal for healthcare professionals with a special interest in dermatology.

MIMS Conferences

Several one-day clinical MIMS conferences are held each year on topics including dermatology, women's health, diabetes and respiratory disease.

The MIMS Consultation Guide

The MIMS Consultation Guide, written by Dr Raj Thakkar, was published in 2011.

The guide follows the consultation journey in three chapters: Signs & Symptoms, Investigations and Diseases. Each chapter has an A to Z format and covers essential core clinical knowledge to aid diagnosis and management.

MIMS Learning

MIMS Learning is an educational website for GPs and nurses offering 400 clinical education modules. It features clinical content in text, audio and video formats along with post-tests of users' learning and a CPD organiser enabling them to record their learning and export it for appraisal. The website has an integrated magazine, also named MIMS Learning, showcasing content from the website.

Other MIMS Resources

The medical education division of Haymarket Group produces a range of educational resources for healthcare professionals under the MIMS brand.