For Staff Pharmacists ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll use Perplexity as your go-to tool for current drug information research — new FDA approvals, recent safety alerts, pipeline drug status, updated guidelines, and drug shortage information. Unlike ChatGPT or Claude (which have knowledge cutoffs), Perplexity searches the web in real time and cites its sources, making it the right tool when currency and citations matter.
What you'll need
What you should see: The Perplexity search bar — similar to Google, but with AI-generated answers and citations.
Perplexity is fundamentally different from ChatGPT or Claude:
When you type a query, Perplexity shows a Focus option at the bottom of the text box. For pharmacy research, select Academic focus to prioritize peer-reviewed sources and FDA publications over news articles.
What you should see: A small icon row appears below the text box with options like Web, Academic, YouTube, etc.
Type your query as you'd phrase it to a clinical colleague:
Perplexity returns a synthesized answer with inline citation numbers. Click any citation number to open the original source. For clinical decisions, always check:
What you should see: A well-organized answer with 4–8 citations from medical journals, FDA databases, or professional association websites.
Unlike a search engine, Perplexity maintains conversation context. After the first answer, ask refinements:
For a new drug approval summary:
What is [drug name/brand name]? Include: FDA approved indication, mechanism, dosing, major drug interactions, monitoring requirements, and place in therapy versus existing options.
For a drug shortage status check:
Is there a current FDA drug shortage for [drug name]? What alternatives are being used clinically and are there any FDA guidance statements?
For updated clinical guidelines:
What are the current [organization name or "ASHP/ACCP/ADA"] guidelines for [condition/drug therapy]? Focus on the most recent update.
For pipeline drug information:
What is the current FDA review status for [drug name or drug class]? Include PDUFA date if assigned and key clinical trial results supporting the application.
For FDA safety communication summary:
Summarize the most recent FDA safety communications or MedWatch alerts for [drug name or drug class] in the last 12 months.