When I asked before how to get an updated VA PRODUCT file, I mused that I thought the answer would be to keep up with the patch stream. But the impression I got was that I should get a FOIA release and extract the global from there. My understanding is that there may well be data in databases (for example in a FOIA release) that wouldn't be put out in patch streams.
So are you saying that if I get up to date with patches, that drug corrections (such as adding new drugs and removing outdated drug entries like rezulin) would be effected?
Thanks
Kevin
You may want to consider at least keeping up with the patches regularly released for the National Drug File (PSN* patches). They'll at least continue until the faster turn around is in place.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Kevin Toppenberg
Sent: Friday, November 25, 2005 6:39 PM
To: Hardhats Sourceforge
Subject: [Hardhats-members] Importing FDA national drug files: Request for Comments
Cameron has said that the VA is working such that "someday" peripheral sites will get updates to National drug file entries at near real time via HL-7 messages.
But until then I am thinking about importing the files distributed by the FDA, found here:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/ndc/
It looks like a straightforward database dump.
It consists of 7 interlinking files in ASCII format
I thought that I would do the following:
1. Create new files in Fileman directly mirroring the structure of the FDA files.
2. Import the data into Fileman
3. Use these new, independant files to populate/update/cleanup my VA PRODUCT file.
Is this a good idea?
Any thoughts?
Kevin
