# SNOMED CT Implementation Guide for the Drug Model

This guide provides practical guidance for implementing the SNOMED CT drug model for medicinal products. It explains how medicinal products are represented within the SNOMED CT Pharmaceutical and Biologic Product hierarchy, including the different levels of abstraction such as ingredient-based medicinal products, medicinal product forms, clinical drugs, and real clinical drugs. 

The guide describes how the internationally consistent SNOMED CT drug model is used alongside National SNOMED CT Drug Extensions to represent jurisdiction-specific information such as authorized product names, packaging, and locally marketed medicines. It also outlines best practices developed through collaboration within the Drug Extension User Group (DEUG) and supports implementers, National Release Centers, and regulators in creating, maintaining, and using SNOMED CT drug concepts in clinical and administrative systems.

***

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="introduction">introduction</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="../use-cases/snomed-ct-drug-model-use-cases">snomed-ct-drug-model-use-cases</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="../content-development/snomed-ct-drug-model">snomed-ct-drug-model</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="broken-reference">Broken link</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="broken-reference">Broken link</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

***

{% hint style="info" %}
© Copyright 2026 International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation, all rights reserved.

This document is a publication of International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation, trading as SNOMED International. SNOMED International owns and maintains SNOMED CT®.

Any modification of this document (including without limitation the removal or modification of this notice) is prohibited without the express written permission of SNOMED International. This document may be subject to updates. Always use the latest version of this document published by SNOMED International. This can be viewed online and downloaded by following the links on the front page or cover of this document.

SNOMED®, SNOMED CT® and IHTSDO® are registered trademarks of International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation. SNOMED CT® licensing information is available at <http://snomed.org/licensing>. For more information about SNOMED International and SNOMED International Membership, please refer to [http://www.snomed.org](http://www.ihtsdo.org/) or contact us at [info@snomed.org](mailto:info@ihtsdo.org).
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://snomed-international.gitbook.io/uat-snomed-international-docs/kdfQQ4zexrP8YsnhBh12/implementation-guides/drug-model-implementation-guide/introduction/snomed-ct-implementation-guide-for-the-drug-model.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.