imf is used by irish general practitioners (gps), hospital doctors, nurse prescribers and pharmacists in both community and hospital practice. particularly useful is that under each molecule (inn), imf lists the generic brands marketed in ireland. with increasing use of generics through substitution, doctors and pharmacists can use imf to show patients that the generic equivalent they have received is the same as the original brand. the website of the hpra lists the interchangeable medicines that are licensed in ireland but not all of them are necessarily marketed; however, imf includes those that are both licensed and marketed i.e. available to prescribe.