Professional use terms for clinical materials

1. Professional audience

The materials are intended for ophthalmologists, other healthcare and pharmaceutical professionals, and individuals enrolled in relevant professional education programmes. The section is not intended for patient self-diagnosis, treatment selection or self-treatment.

2. Status of the materials

The materials are author-prepared educational reviews of professional sources current on the stated medical-review date. They are not a healthcare service, telemedicine consultation, official clinical guideline, standard of care, healthcare delivery regulation, local healthcare organisation protocol or individual prescription.

3. Clinical judgement

The final diagnostic and treatment decision must be made by the healthcare professional directly responsible for the patient after an individual assessment of history, clinical findings, test results, contraindications, risks, comorbidities and the feasibility of follow-up.

4. Mandatory checks before use

• current official guidance and approved prescribing information;
• age, body weight, pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• allergy history and renal and hepatic function;
• comorbidities, drug interactions and contraindications;
• approved indications, route of administration and age restrictions;
• the need for etiological testing, admission, multidisciplinary review or surgery;
• the ability to provide appropriate monitoring and timely treatment adjustment.

5. International guidance and off-label use

International guidance is provided as an additional professional reference and does not replace the sources applicable in the jurisdiction where care is delivered. Off-label use, extemporaneously prepared medicines and other special regimens must be clearly identified, clinically justified, documented and used in accordance with applicable law and local governance procedures.

6. Currency and versions

Users must consider the date of the latest medical review and verify whether guidance, prescribing information, safety data or local protocols have changed since that date. A saved or cached copy of an older page must not be treated as a current source.

7. Responsibility

The author and website owner do not participate in the care of a specific patient and cannot control the user’s qualifications, the completeness of the assessment, the accuracy of the diagnosis, compliance with contraindications, documentation or subsequent monitoring.

The healthcare professional using the material remains responsible for the clinical decision within the limits of that professional’s qualifications and authority. These terms do not exclude or limit liability where such exclusion or limitation is prohibited by applicable law.

8. Feedback

Reports of an error, outdated source or discrepancy with current prescribing information may be submitted through the professional contact details on the main website. A disputed passage should not be used for a clinical decision until it has been reviewed.