A guide to MIMS for pharmaceutical companies

Frequently asked questions from product manufacturers.

What information does MIMS provide on my company’s products?

MIMS has published concise summaries of prescribing information for the benefit of busy healthcare professionals for more than 60 years, and these now cover more than 3000 branded and generic products.

We also publish product information in a range of exclusive prescribing resources used constantly by healthcare professionals, including:

• Drug comparison tables
• Live trackers of drug shortages, drug prices, new products, deleted products, indication changes and products coming soon
• Visual guides to respiratory and diabetes devices
• Summaries of national treatment guidance

Who uses MIMS and why?

MIMS is aimed mainly at primary care professionals. MIMS supports GPs, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals by providing easy-to-use, up-to-date, quick-reference information to help them make decisions at the point of prescription. We aim to support best prescribing practice, save healthcare professionals time, and help them prescribe with confidence.

MIMS is also used by a number of pharmaceutical companies to monitor their own and competitor products within the pharmaceutical marketplace, and to provide evidence of UK pricing for reimbursement applications in other countries.

How is MIMS produced?

Product listings in MIMS provide expert abbreviations of SPCs that are independently compiled by our team of pharmacists. The team proactively scans a range of medicines information resources to keep the information in MIMS up to date, but we rely on manufacturers to let us know directly about any changes to their products, including new launches, SPC updates, price changes, discontinuations and divestments. We also encourage companies to let us know about shortages of their products (see below).

How can I see which of my company's products are listed in MIMS?

To see a list of products in MIMS from a specific company, you can browse the drug database by manufacturer.

Why aren’t all of my company’s products listed in MIMS?

MIMS focuses on products prescribed in primary care, including medicines, appliances (if listed on the Drug Tariff) and borderline substances. Abbreviated listings for more specialist drugs, such as cancer treatments, can be found on mims.co.uk. Generic drugs are included in MIMS but we do not specify manufacturers for these. Drugs that are blacklisted (ie, not prescribable on the NHS) are not listed and no information is given on the unlicensed or off-label use of drugs.

Is there a charge for listing products in MIMS?

MIMS is editorially independent and coverage of products is decided solely by the editorial team based on relevance to primary care professionals. There is no charge for listing in MIMS.

How up to date is MIMS?

MIMS is updated constantly online, with changes to the drug information and prescribing news published throughout the working day. We aim to publish all new drugs online on the day of launch, and all price changes from the day they apply, provided we receive advance notification from the manufacturer. Other updates are published online as soon as possible.

What’s the difference between the print and online versions of MIMS?

The print edition of MIMS includes a selection of our drug comparison tables and guideline synopses, and summaries of prescribing information for the products most commonly encountered in primary care. It also features short reviews of key new drugs. The December 2023 issue is the final print edition of MIMS. 

The website hosts the full range of tables and guideline summaries and the complete drug database (searchable by brand or generic name, or drug class), together with visual guides and live product trackers. Healthcare professionals also consult the website for the latest news on medicines and prescribing in primary care, including new product launches, safety alerts and guidance changes.

Why does MIMS track drug shortages?

Healthcare professionals are spending increasing amounts of time dealing with drug shortages. In response to this we launched the MIMS drug shortages tracker in 2019, listing current shortages with expected resupply dates and (where available) suggested alternatives. The tracker has become an invaluable resource for GPs and pharmacists, and we encourage companies to let us know about shortages of their products so we can communicate this information to healthcare professionals.

Why do I need to send product updates to MIMS?

To ensure the information in MIMS is as accurate and up to date as possible, companies are asked to advise the MIMS team directly of product launches, changes to product SPCs, product discontinuations, divestments, price changes and shortages. Having this direct relationship with pharmaceutical companies helps us to maintain the high standard of information that companies expect for their products and that healthcare professionals rely on.

The Pharmaceutical Information & Pharmacovigilance Association (PIPA) provides best practice guidance for communicating SPC updates to healthcare professionals.

How should companies submit updates for MIMS?

To ensure your product changes are reflected in MIMS, please provide notification via our portal, including a full description of the changes and/or a copy of the Great Britain SPC showing tracked changes. Direct communication via the portal is the most efficient way for MIMS to receive updates. For new medicines, please provide a copy of the Great Britain SPC and the NHS list prices for all available pack sizes. A single notification is sufficient for both print and online. For queries, please email mimsinfo@haymarket.com.

What are the deadlines for inclusion in MIMS?

We aim to publish all new drugs online on the day of launch, and all price changes from the day they apply, provided we receive advance notification. It is helpful if manufacturers can provide at least a week's notice before they wish any changes to appear. 

How can I get full access to MIMS?

To find out more about MIMS subscriptions for pharmaceutical companies, please download our information pack.

How can I place an advert in MIMS?

Advertising enquiries can be directed to our advertising team, details of which can be found on our advertising information page. Advertisements are accepted for publication only upon Haymarket Media Group Limited's standard Terms of Acceptance of Advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising sales department.

Any other questions?

If you can't find the answer to your question here, please visit our Contact us page.