NLM Classification 2012 Edition Now Available

The NLM Classification, available online at //www.nlm.nih.gov/class, incorporates all additions and changes to the schedules and index from April 2011 through March 2012. The PDF version will be updated with 2012 classification data by the end of May 2012.

The QV (Pharmacology) schedule was the major area of focus for the 2012 edition.

Some QV schedule outline headers were changed.
For example:

• QV 610-618 Inorganic Poisons was changed to QV 610-666 Poisons
• QV 627-633 Organic Poisons and QV 662-667 Gas Poisons. Chemical Agents were deleted

Some QV class number captions and notes were revised to better reflect the scope of the number.
For example:

• At QV 38, the caption Drug action was changed to Drug metabolism. Pharmacokinetics.
• At QV 95, the caption Anti-inflammatory analgesics was changed to Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
• Disinfectants was removed from the caption at QV 220 and added to the caption at QV 250.
• At QV 240, the caption Dyes and related compounds used in diagnosis or as reagents, indicators, etc. was changed to Coloring agents.
• At QV 241, the caption Tars. Balsams was changed to Complex mixtures.
• At QV 310, the caption Gases and their compounds was changed to Noble gases.
• At QV 663, the caption Chemical agents was augmented with Chemical warfare agents.
• At QV 772, the caption Non-prescription drugs was changed to Drug catalogs.
• At QV 778, the caption Pharmaceutical processes. Drug compounding was changed to Drug delivery systems (General or not elsewhere classified).
• At QV 785, the caption Types of pharmaceutical preparations. Dosage forms was changed to Drug delivery systems.
• At QV 786, the caption Solutions was changed to Drug dosage forms (General or not elsewhere classified).
• At QV 800, the caption Vehicles was changed to Pharmaceutic aids.
• At QV 4, the note was added: Classify here works discussing both pharmacological phenomena and pharmaceutical preparations. Classify works on pharmacological phenomena only in QV 37.
• At QV 55, the note was added: Classify here general works on pharmaceutical preparations and works on specific drugs not elsewhere classified.

Table G (geographic breakdown) is now permitted with QV 736 and QV 737.

Class Numbers Added and Canceled

Thirty-seven (37) new class numbers were added and four (4) class numbers were canceled.

 

Class Numbers Added — 2012

New Number	Class Name	Former Number in the Index
QV 35	Biopharmaceutics	QV 38
QV 36	Receptor pharmacology	QV 38
QV 37	Pharmacological phenomena and processes	QV 38
QV 37.5	Drug interactions	QV 38
QV 38.5	Biotransformation. Pharmacogenetics	QV 38
QV 57	Nonprescription drugs	QV 772
QV 151	Antihypertensive agents. Calcium channel blockers	QV 150
QV 152	Anti-arrhythmia agents	QV 150
QV 604	Lists of poisons, antidotes, etc.	QV 605
QV 633.5	Specific hydrocarbons, A-Z	QV 633
QV 633.5.B4	Benzene. Benzene derivatives	QV 633
QV 633.5.F6	Fossil fuels	QV 633
QV 633.5.H3	Halogenated hydrocarbons	QV 633
QV 736.1	[Drug industry. Economics of pharmacy. Advertising] General coverage (Not Table G)	QV 736
QV 737.1	[Pharmaceutical services. Community pharmacy. Pharmacies] General coverage (Not Table G)	QV 737
QV 745	Drug design. Drug discovery	QV 744
QV 771.4	Clinical trials	QV 771
QV 779	Drug compounding	QV 778
QV 786.5	Special dosage forms, A-Z	QV 785
QV 786.5.C3	Capsules	QV 785
QV 786.5.C7	Colloids	QV 785
QV 786.5.O4	Oils	QV 785, etc.
QV 786.5.O5	Ointments	QV 785
QV 786.5.P7	Powders	QV 785, etc.
QV 786.5.S6	Solutions	QV 786
QV 786.5.S8	Suppositories	QV 785, etc.
QV 786.5.T3	Tablets	QV 787
WA 290	Emergency responders	None
WA 320.1	[Child welfare. Child health services] General coverage (Not Table G)	WA 320
WA 346	Cutaneous	WB 340
WA 510	Trigger points	WE 550
WA 520	Peripheral nervous system diseases	WL 500-544
WA 530	Peripheral nerve injuries	None
WL 704.6	Pain management	None
WN 250.5.P7	Proton therapy	None
WQ 200.1	[Reproduction. Pregnancy] General coverage (Not Table G)	WQ 200
WQ 270	Maternal death	None

Class Numbers Canceled — 2012

Canceled Number	Class Name	Now Classed in
QV 34	Experimental pharmacology (General)	QV 20.5
QV 235	Dyes	QV 240
QV 618	Irritant poisons	Not applicable
QV 667	Systemic poisons. Paralysants	Not applicable

Table G (Geographic Notations)

Changes were made to Table G (Geographic Notations)

• Two (2) Table G numbers were added:
  • South Korea (JK6)
  • North Korea (JK7)

• Korea was moved to the Historical Geographic Locations retaining the same Table G (JK6)

Other Changes to the Schedule

Changes were made to other class schedules.
For example:

• The schedule outline WQ 200-212 Pregnancy was augmented with Reproduction.
• At WB 495, the caption Electric stimulation therapy was augmented with Magnetic field therapy.
• At WE 190, Orthopedic procedures was removed from the caption and Traction was added. Orthopedic Procedures is now classed at WE 168.
• At WN 415, Radioisotopes was removed from the caption.
• At WO 62, and anesthesiologist was added to the caption.
• Instructional notes were added or modified to clarify classification practices as needed.
  For example:
  • A note was added to QT 37: Cf. QU 300-328 Cell engineering.
  • A note was added to WE 168: Classify works on orthopedics as a profession in WE 21.
• Table G (geographic breakdown) is now permitted with WA 320.

All index entries pertaining to the aforementioned schedule additions and changes were modified.

Changes to the Index

Eighty-eight (88) new index entries were created of which forty-six (46) are from the 2012 MeSH; the remainder are MeSH terms from previous years. All main index headings are linked to the 2012 vocabulary in the MeSH Browser.

• Karyotype
• Karyotyping
• Krypton Radioisotopes
• Laboratory Personnel
• Magnetic Field Therapy
• Magnetic Fields
• Magnetic Phenomena
• Magnets
• Medical Laboratory Personnel
• Memory, Episodic
• Mercury Compounds
• Metabolic Engineering
• Minority Health
• Musculoskeletal Pain
• Neanderthals
• Neuroimaging
• Noble Gases
• Occupational Injuries
• Osteology
• Pain Management
• Pain Perception
• Particulate Matter
• Pasteurization
• Patient Safety
• Pelvic Floor Disorders
• Peripheral Nerve Injuries
• Pharmacological Processes
• Pharmacopoeias as Topic
• Pharmacovigilance
• Physical Therapists
• Plant Cells
• Plant Pathology
• Plastics
• Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic
• Posters
• Propanols
• Proteolysis
• Receptors, Kainic Acid
• Remuneration
• Reproductive Health
• Reproductive Tract Infections
• Sarin
• Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
• Sex Workers
• Sodium Compounds
• Trigger Points
• Water Quality
• Xenon Radioisotopes
• Yttrium Radioisotopes

Numerous main index entries and cross references were modified to reflect changes in the MeSH vocabulary.
For example:

• Mental Retardation was deleted as a main heading and made a cross reference to Intellectual Disability.
• Biological Products was changed to Biological Agents.
• Laboratory Techniques and Procedures was deleted from the index.
• Intervertebral Disk Displacement was changed to Intervertebral Disc Displacement.
• Community Health Aides was deleted as a main heading and made a cross reference to Community Health Workers.

NLM Classification index entries with Library of Congress Classification G (Geography) and L (Education) class numbers were reviewed for accuracy and relevance.

To learn more about the NLM Classification see the Fact Sheet.