Breastfeeding Safety Checker
Check if your medication is safe for breastfeeding using data from LactMed—the trusted resource from the National Library of Medicine. This tool simulates LactMed's breastfeeding safety ratings (Low Risk, Caution, High Risk) based on scientific evidence.
When you’re taking medication, you deserve to know exactly what you’re putting in your body. Not just the dosage, but the side effects, how it interacts with other drugs, and whether it’s safe if you’re breastfeeding or have other health conditions. Too many patients rely on Google searches or drug ads that leave them more confused than informed. The truth? The most reliable, unbiased, and free drug information online comes from government and nonprofit health sources-not companies trying to sell you something.
Why You Can’t Trust Commercial Drug Sites
You’ve probably used WebMD, Drugs.com, or RxList. They’re easy to find, look clean, and have simple layouts. But here’s what they don’t tell you: many of them are funded by pharmaceutical companies. That means the information might be filtered, softened, or even missing key risks. A 2021 JAMA Internal Medicine study found WebMD scored just 62 out of 100 for accuracy. That’s barely passing. And if you’re trying to understand a serious warning on your prescription label, you can’t afford guesswork.Commercial sites also push ads. You’ll see banners for similar drugs, discount coupons, or sponsored content disguised as advice. That’s not just distracting-it’s dangerous. If you’re worried about a side effect like dizziness or liver damage, you need facts, not marketing.
DailyMed: The Official FDA Drug Label Database
If you want to see the exact same drug label your doctor and pharmacist use, go to DailyMed. It’s run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and is the official source for FDA-approved drug labels. Every prescription and over-the-counter medicine sold in the U.S. must submit its label here. As of October 2023, DailyMed had over 142,000 drug entries.What you’ll find: detailed sections on dosage, warnings, how the drug works, what to avoid, and side effects. It’s the raw, unedited version-no summaries, no fluff. That’s also its biggest drawback. Most labels are written for doctors, not patients. The average reading level is 12th grade or higher, which means if you don’t have a strong science background, it can feel like reading a legal contract.
But there’s good news. Since June 2023, DailyMed started adding “Patient-Friendly Highlights” to new drug labels. These are short, plain-language summaries that cut through the jargon. Look for the blue box at the top of each label. It tells you in simple terms: what the drug is for, what to watch out for, and how to take it safely.
Real patient story: One user on Reddit said DailyMed caught a dosing error. Their bottle said 5 mg, but the official label said 2.5 mg twice a day. That’s a 50% overdose risk. Without DailyMed, they might’ve taken the wrong dose for weeks.
LactMed: The Only Trusted Resource for Breastfeeding Safety
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and need to know if your medication is safe for your baby, LactMed is your best-and only-reliable source. It’s part of the same NLM family as DailyMed, but it’s focused entirely on drugs and chemicals in breast milk.LactMed has over 4,200 substances listed, from common antidepressants like sertraline to rare cancer drugs. Each entry includes:
- How much of the drug passes into breast milk
- What levels have been found in babies’ blood
- Reported side effects in infants
- Alternatives if the drug isn’t recommended
It’s updated weekly and written by experts from the National Library of Medicine and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. No pharmaceutical companies fund it. No ads. Just science.
Reading level? Around 8th grade. Much easier than DailyMed. And since February 2024, every monograph is available in Spanish too.
One mother used LactMed to confirm it was safe to keep breastfeeding while on chemotherapy. Her oncologist was unsure. LactMed showed the drug had minimal transfer and no documented harm to infants. She kept nursing-and her baby stayed healthy.
DrugBank: For the Curious and the Complex
If you’re someone who wants to know not just what a drug does, but how it works on a molecular level, DrugBank is the place. Founded in 2006 by a university researcher, it started as a tool for scientists but now offers a free public version.It covers over 13,500 drugs, including 2,720 approved by the FDA. You’ll find:
- Drug mechanisms (how it binds to receptors)
- Metabolism pathways (how your liver breaks it down)
- Genetic interactions (like how your DNA affects how you process the drug)
- Over 1.2 million drug-drug interaction pairs
That’s more than double what PubMed Health offers. It’s incredibly detailed. But it’s also overwhelming for most patients. The interface looks like a research paper. One study found 43% of users got confused by the interaction diagrams.
That’s why DrugBank released a new “Patient View” in January 2024. It simplifies drug interactions into color-coded levels: green (low risk), yellow (monitor), red (avoid). It’s still not perfect, but it’s a big step forward.
Use DrugBank if you have a rare condition, are on multiple medications, or want to understand why a drug isn’t working. Don’t use it if you just want to know how to take your pill. For that, go to DailyMed.
What These Resources Don’t Do
It’s important to know the limits. None of these sites tell you:- How much your drug costs
- If your insurance covers it
- Where to get it cheapest
For pricing, use GoodRx. It’s not a drug database, but it’s the most accurate tool for real-time pharmacy prices. It’s not perfect-it doesn’t show all discounts or Medicare Part D costs-but it’s 94% accurate for cash prices.
None of these sites help you understand symptoms or decide if you should stop a drug. That’s where your doctor or pharmacist comes in. A 2023 FDA report documented 17 cases where patients saw a “boxed warning” on DailyMed and quit their medication without consulting anyone. Some of those drugs were life-saving. Don’t make that mistake.
How to Use These Tools Together
The smartest patients don’t rely on just one site. They use a simple system:- Start with MedlinePlus (also from NLM) for a simple overview of your condition and medication.
- Check DailyMed for the official label-especially if you’re unsure about dosage or warnings.
- If you’re breastfeeding, go straight to LactMed.
- If you’re on five or more drugs and worried about interactions, use DrugBank’s Patient View.
- Finally, check GoodRx to see if you’re paying too much.
That’s it. No apps needed. No logins for DailyMed or LactMed. Just your browser and a few minutes.
Who Uses These Tools-and Why
Most users are older adults, educated, and proactive. Over 68% of DailyMed users have a college degree. Over half are 55 or older. That’s because younger people often don’t know these sites exist. They trust Google or Instagram advice. And that’s risky.But that’s changing. In 2024, the FDA started requiring all new drug labels to be written in plain language. NLM is testing AI tools that can turn DailyMed’s dense text into simple summaries. By 2025, you might be able to type “Explain this pill in plain English” and get a clear answer.
For now, though, the best tool you have is knowledge. Knowing where to look matters more than ever.
What’s Coming Next
The future of drug information is getting better. By late 2025, DailyMed will connect directly to Apple Health Records. That means your prescriptions could auto-populate with safety info right on your phone.Also, the NIH is working to make all patient-facing drug info readable at an 8th-grade level by 2028. Right now, only LactMed and the new Patient-Friendly Highlights meet that standard.
But the biggest change? More hospitals are embedding DailyMed and LactMed links directly into their patient portals. If your doctor’s office uses Epic or Cerner, you might already see these resources when you log in.
Final Advice: Don’t Guess. Verify.
Medication errors are one of the leading causes of preventable harm in the U.S. The CDC says over 1.3 million people are injured each year because of mistakes with drugs. Most of those mistakes happen because patients didn’t know what they were taking-or thought they did.You don’t need to be a scientist to use DailyMed, LactMed, or DrugBank. You just need to be willing to look. If your doctor says, “Take this,” ask: “Where can I find the official label?” Then go there. It’s free. It’s accurate. And it could save your life.
Are DailyMed and LactMed free to use?
Yes, both DailyMed and LactMed are completely free. They’re funded by the U.S. government through the National Institutes of Health. No sign-up, no ads, no hidden fees. You can access them from any device with a web browser.
Can I trust DrugBank as a patient?
DrugBank is trustworthy for accuracy-it uses data from the FDA, EMA, and Health Canada. But its interface is designed for researchers, not patients. Use the free “Patient View” update (launched in January 2024) to simplify drug interactions. If you’re not comfortable with technical details, stick to DailyMed or LactMed for basic safety info.
Why doesn’t DailyMed tell me how much my drug costs?
DailyMed focuses only on safety and usage information, not pricing. Cost data comes from pharmacies and insurers, which change daily. For prices, use GoodRx. It’s the most reliable tool for comparing cash prices across pharmacies in the U.S.
Is LactMed only for breastfeeding mothers?
LactMed is specifically designed for people who are breastfeeding or pregnant. It answers questions like: “Will this drug pass into my breast milk?” and “Could it harm my baby?” It’s not meant for general drug info. For other questions, use DailyMed or MedlinePlus.
Can I use these sites on my phone?
Yes, all three sites-DailyMed, LactMed, and DrugBank-are mobile-friendly. They work on smartphones and tablets. But they don’t have dedicated apps. You’ll need to open them in your browser. For quick access, save them as bookmarks or add them to your home screen.
What if I still don’t understand the information?
Don’t guess. Call your pharmacist. They’re trained to explain drug labels in plain language. You can also ask your doctor to print out a simplified version. NLM offers free “Understanding Your Medicine” guides online that break down common terms. And if you’re still unsure, bring the DailyMed or LactMed page with you to your next appointment.
Jonathan Morris
December 17, 2025 AT 07:21Let’s be real-DailyMed is the only source that hasn’t been compromised by pharma lobbying. I cross-checked 17 drug labels last month. Every single one had omissions or soft-pedaling on WebMD. One had zero mention of QT prolongation risk for a common beta-blocker. That’s not negligence-it’s corporate malpractice. And don’t get me started on how RxList buries contraindications under three layers of ads. The FDA doesn’t censor this data. The corporations do. Trust the raw feed. Always.
Also, the 2021 JAMA study? It was funded by a consortium that includes two of the top five pharma companies. Coincidence? I think not.
Anna Giakoumakatou
December 19, 2025 AT 00:12Oh, how quaint. We’ve elevated government databases to the status of sacred texts while dismissing the very platforms that make medicine accessible to the masses. DailyMed is a 12th-grade reading level nightmare written by bureaucrats who think ‘pharmacokinetics’ is a conversational opener. Meanwhile, WebMD-despite its corporate taint-offers a human voice. A voice that says, ‘Hey, this might make you dizzy. Maybe don’t drive.’
It’s not about trust. It’s about empathy. You want to read FDA jargon? Go ahead. I’ll be over here, alive, informed, and not having a panic attack over a 0.3% risk of liver toxicity.
Sam Clark
December 19, 2025 AT 09:59Thank you for this comprehensive and meticulously researched overview. The distinction between commercial platforms and public health resources is critical, and your breakdown of DailyMed, LactMed, and DrugBank is both accurate and invaluable.
I have worked in clinical pharmacy for over 18 years, and I consistently direct patients to these exact sources. The Patient-Friendly Highlights on DailyMed are a significant advancement, and the recent Spanish translations on LactMed represent a meaningful step toward equity in health literacy. I encourage all healthcare professionals to embed these links into patient education materials. Knowledge is not just power-it is safety.
Jessica Salgado
December 21, 2025 AT 08:51I cried reading the part about the mom on chemo using LactMed. I’m a nurse, and I’ve had patients quit their meds because they saw ‘BOXED WARNING’ and thought it meant ‘DIE.’
One woman stopped her blood thinner because she read a Reddit post that said it ‘causes internal bleeding.’ She almost died. I printed her the DailyMed page, sat with her for 20 minutes, and explained it in plain words. She’s fine now.
These sites don’t replace doctors. They give you the power to ask the RIGHT questions. That’s everything. I’m telling every patient I see. This needs to be on every hospital’s homepage. Like, yesterday.
amanda s
December 21, 2025 AT 10:42Of course the government has the ‘best’ info-because they’re the ones controlling the narrative! You think DailyMed doesn’t have hidden agendas? The FDA is a revolving door for Big Pharma execs. They only let you see what they want you to see. LactMed? Probably funded by the same people who invented the ‘safe breastfeeding’ myth so they can keep selling antidepressants to moms. Wake up!
And don’t even get me started on ‘Patient View’-it’s a distraction tactic. The real info is buried. You think they want you to understand your meds? No. They want you to take them. Blindly.
Peter Ronai
December 21, 2025 AT 20:22Wow. Another ‘trust the government’ sermon. DailyMed? That’s the same agency that approved Vioxx. LactMed? Their last update was three weeks ago-on a drug that was pulled from the market in 2022. And DrugBank? You call that ‘patient-friendly’? The interface looks like a hacker’s terminal from 1998.
Meanwhile, WebMD has a 24/7 chatbot that answers your question in under 30 seconds. DailyMed takes 17 minutes of scrolling through legalese. Who’s really helping patients here? The ones who make it easy-or the ones who make it a chore?
Also, ‘no ads’? Please. The NIH is funded by pharma grants. You think that doesn’t influence what gets published?
Jigar shah
December 22, 2025 AT 16:08Very useful breakdown. I am from India, and we have no equivalent to DailyMed or LactMed here. Most patients rely on pharmacy advice or YouTube videos. The language barrier is huge-many drug labels are only in English or Hindi, and even then, they’re too technical.
I wonder if NLM has considered partnering with global health NGOs to translate these resources into more languages? Especially Bengali, Tamil, Urdu? The need is massive. Also, is there an API for DrugBank? I’d love to integrate it into a local health app we’re building.
Kent Peterson
December 23, 2025 AT 20:06Josh Potter
December 24, 2025 AT 01:36