SubstanceDefinition

Introduction

Scope and Usage

For an overview of this resource and others in the Medication Definition domain, also see the module page

SubstanceDefinition is used for rich descriptions of substances, of any type, to support the detailed definition of medications, and in particular their ingredients (see Ingredient) and manufacturing.

This is a definitional resource describing types of substances, to a varying degree of specificity. It can cover the substance in the abstract (properties that this substance always has), or a particular variety of it, such as one manufacturer's version, or a certain presentation (e.g. "granulated"). However it is always a type and does not represent an actual physical instance of a substance. By contrast the Substance resource can act as either a concise definition (a subset of SubstanceDefinition) or as an instance (an actual batch).

SubstanceDefinition is not generally used directly to represent an ingredient, nor as a product that is given to a patient. When acting as an ingredient, the Ingredient resource gives the context necessary (strength, role etc.) and, within it, uses this resource to describe the substance. Any substance that is to be used as medication would be considered a medicinal product (even a plain one such as water) and as such would be described using MedicinalProductDefinition or for a concise summary suitable for day-to-day prescribing, Medication.

StructureDefinition

Elements (Simplified)

• SubstanceDefinition [0..*]: - The detailed description of a substance, typically at a level beyond what is used for prescribing
• SubstanceDefinition.identifier [0..*]: Identifier Identifier by which this substance is known
• SubstanceDefinition.version [0..1]: string A business level edition or revision identifier
• SubstanceDefinition.status [0..1]: CodeableConcept preferred:publication-status Status of substance within the catalogue e.g. active, retired
• SubstanceDefinition.classification [0..*]: CodeableConcept A categorization, high level e.g. polymer or nucleic acid, or food, chemical, biological, or lower e.g. polymer linear or branch chain, or type of impurity
• SubstanceDefinition.domain [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:medicinal-product-domain The applicable usage of the substance, as an example human or veterinary
• SubstanceDefinition.grade [0..*]: CodeableConcept example:substance-grade The quality standard, established benchmark, to which substance complies (e.g. USP/NF, BP)
• SubstanceDefinition.description [0..1]: markdown Textual description of the substance
• SubstanceDefinition.note [0..*]: Annotation Textual comment about the substance's catalogue or registry record
• SubstanceDefinition.manufacturer [0..*]: Reference(Organization) The entity that creates, makes, produces or fabricates the substance
• SubstanceDefinition.supplier [0..*]: Reference(Organization) An entity that is the source for the substance. It may be different from the manufacturer
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety [0..*]: BackboneElement Moiety, for structural modifications
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.role [0..1]: CodeableConcept Role that the moiety is playing
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.identifier [0..1]: Identifier Identifier by which this moiety substance is known
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.name [0..1]: string Textual name for this moiety substance
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.stereochemistry [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-stereochemistry Stereochemistry type
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.opticalActivity [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-optical-activity Optical activity type
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.molecularFormula [0..1]: string Molecular formula for this moiety (e.g. with the Hill system)
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.amount[x] [0..1]: Quantity, string Quantitative value for this moiety
• SubstanceDefinition.moiety.measurementType [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-amount-type The measurement type of the quantitative value
• SubstanceDefinition.characterization [0..*]: BackboneElement General specifications for this substance
• SubstanceDefinition.characterization.technique [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-structure-technique The method used to find the characterization e.g. HPLC
• SubstanceDefinition.characterization.form [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-form Describes the nature of the chemical entity and explains, for instance, whether this is a base or a salt form
• SubstanceDefinition.characterization.description [0..1]: markdown The description or justification in support of the interpretation of the data file
• SubstanceDefinition.characterization.file [0..*]: Attachment The data produced by the analytical instrument or a pictorial representation of that data. Examples: a JCAMP, JDX, or ADX file, or a chromatogram or spectrum analysis
• SubstanceDefinition.property [0..*]: BackboneElement General specifications for this substance
• SubstanceDefinition.property.type [1..1]: CodeableConcept example:product-characteristic-codes A code expressing the type of property
• SubstanceDefinition.property.value[x] [0..1]: CodeableConcept, Quantity, Range, date, boolean, Attachment A value for the property
• SubstanceDefinition.molecularWeight [0..*]: BackboneElement The average mass of a molecule of a compound
• SubstanceDefinition.molecularWeight.method [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-weight-method The method by which the weight was determined
• SubstanceDefinition.molecularWeight.type [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-weight-type Type of molecular weight e.g. exact, average, weight average
• SubstanceDefinition.molecularWeight.amount [1..1]: Quantity Used to capture quantitative values for a variety of elements
• SubstanceDefinition.structure [0..1]: BackboneElement Structural information
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.stereochemistry [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-stereochemistry Stereochemistry type
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.opticalActivity [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-optical-activity Optical activity type
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.molecularFormula [0..1]: string An expression which states the number and type of atoms present in a molecule of a substance
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.molecularFormulaByMoiety [0..1]: string Specified per moiety according to the Hill system
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.molecularWeight [0..1]: - The molecular weight or weight range
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.technique [0..*]: CodeableConcept example:substance-structure-technique The method used to find the structure e.g. X-ray, NMR
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.sourceDocument [0..*]: Reference(DocumentReference) Source of information for the structure
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.representation [0..*]: BackboneElement A depiction of the structure of the substance
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.representation.type [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-representation-type The kind of structural representation (e.g. full, partial)
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.representation.representation [0..1]: string The structural representation as a text string in a standard format
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.representation.format [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-representation-format The format of the representation e.g. InChI, SMILES, MOLFILE (note: not the physical file format)
• SubstanceDefinition.structure.representation.document [0..1]: Reference(DocumentReference) An attachment with the structural representation e.g. a structure graphic or AnIML file
• SubstanceDefinition.code [0..*]: BackboneElement Codes associated with the substance
• SubstanceDefinition.code.code [0..1]: CodeableConcept The specific code
• SubstanceDefinition.code.status [0..1]: CodeableConcept preferred:publication-status Status of the code assignment, for example 'provisional', 'approved'
• SubstanceDefinition.code.statusDate [0..1]: dateTime The date at which the code status was changed
• SubstanceDefinition.code.note [0..*]: Annotation Any comment can be provided in this field
• SubstanceDefinition.code.source [0..*]: Reference(DocumentReference) Supporting literature
• SubstanceDefinition.name [0..*]: BackboneElement Names applicable to this substance
• SubstanceDefinition.name.name [1..1]: string The actual name
• SubstanceDefinition.name.type [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-name-type Name type e.g. 'systematic', 'scientific, 'brand'
• SubstanceDefinition.name.status [0..1]: CodeableConcept preferred:publication-status The status of the name e.g. 'current', 'proposed'
• SubstanceDefinition.name.preferred [0..1]: boolean If this is the preferred name for this substance
• SubstanceDefinition.name.language [0..*]: CodeableConcept required:all-languages Human language that the name is written in
• SubstanceDefinition.name.domain [0..*]: CodeableConcept example:substance-name-domain The use context of this name e.g. as an active ingredient or as a food colour additive
• SubstanceDefinition.name.jurisdiction [0..*]: CodeableConcept example:jurisdiction The jurisdiction where this name applies
• SubstanceDefinition.name.synonym [0..*]: - A synonym of this particular name, by which the substance is also known
• SubstanceDefinition.name.translation [0..*]: - A translation for this name into another human language
• SubstanceDefinition.name.official [0..*]: BackboneElement Details of the official nature of this name
• SubstanceDefinition.name.official.authority [0..1]: CodeableConcept preferred:substance-name-authority Which authority uses this official name
• SubstanceDefinition.name.official.status [0..1]: CodeableConcept preferred:publication-status The status of the official name, for example 'draft', 'active'
• SubstanceDefinition.name.official.date [0..1]: dateTime Date of official name change
• SubstanceDefinition.name.source [0..*]: Reference(DocumentReference) Supporting literature
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship [0..*]: BackboneElement A link between this substance and another
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship.substanceDefinition[x] [0..1]: Reference(SubstanceDefinition), CodeableConcept A pointer to another substance, as a resource or a representational code
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship.type [1..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-relationship-type For example "salt to parent", "active moiety"
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship.isDefining [0..1]: boolean For example where an enzyme strongly bonds with a particular substance, this is a defining relationship for that enzyme, out of several possible relationships
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship.amount[x] [0..1]: Quantity, Ratio, string A numeric factor for the relationship, e.g. that a substance salt has some percentage of active substance in relation to some other
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship.ratioHighLimitAmount [0..1]: Ratio For use when the numeric has an uncertain range
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship.comparator [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-amount-type An operator for the amount, for example "average", "approximately", "less than"
• SubstanceDefinition.relationship.source [0..*]: Reference(DocumentReference) Supporting literature
• SubstanceDefinition.sourceMaterial [0..1]: BackboneElement Material or taxonomic/anatomical source
• SubstanceDefinition.sourceMaterial.type [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-source-material-type Classification of the origin of the raw material. e.g. cat hair is an Animal source type
• SubstanceDefinition.sourceMaterial.genus [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-source-material-genus The genus of an organism e.g. the Latin epithet of the plant/animal scientific name
• SubstanceDefinition.sourceMaterial.species [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-source-material-species The species of an organism e.g. the Latin epithet of the species of the plant/animal
• SubstanceDefinition.sourceMaterial.part [0..1]: CodeableConcept example:substance-source-material-part An anatomical origin of the source material within an organism
• SubstanceDefinition.sourceMaterial.countryOfOrigin [0..*]: CodeableConcept required:country The country or countries where the material is harvested

Mappings

• SubstanceDefinition Mappings — 80 mapping entries

Resource Packs

list-SubstanceDefinition-packs.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<List xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <id value="SubstanceDefinition-packs"/>
  <status value="current"/>
  <mode value="working"/>
</List>

Search Parameters

• classification — token — High or low level categorization, e.g. polymer vs. nucleic acid or linear vs. branch chain — SubstanceDefinition.classification
• code — token — The specific code — SubstanceDefinition.code.code
• domain — token — If the substance applies to only human or veterinary use — SubstanceDefinition.domain
• identifier — token — Identifier by which this substance is known — SubstanceDefinition.identifier
• name — string — The actual name — SubstanceDefinition.name.name
• status — token — Status of substance within the catalogue e.g. active, retired — SubstanceDefinition.status

Full Search Parameters

Examples

• example — substancedefinition-example — Example of substancedefinition
• substancedefinition-example — substancedefinition-example
• substancedefinition-examples-header — substancedefinition-examples-header

Full Examples