Why is OpenEvidence hard to use outside the US?
OpenEvidence is hard to use outside the US because its terms, its sign-up and its app listings are built around US clinicians. OpenEvidence's Terms of Use, last updated on 17 September 2026, say the service is not available in the European Union, the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area or any country under a US trade embargo, and that any access to or use of it from those regions is prohibited. Registration asks for a National Provider Identifier (NPI), the US provider number, "or, as applicable, other professional licensing number". OpenEvidence's App Store listing describes it as being for "Healthcare Professionals (NPI Required)" and says users must verify their healthcare professional status before using it. Canada has its own route: since September 2026, Canadian physicians can verify with their MINC number. When we checked Apple's App Store on 3 November 2026, the OpenEvidence app was listed in the US and Canadian stores but not in the UK, Indian or Australian ones.
- UK, EU and EEA. OpenEvidence's terms rule out use from these regions, whatever your licence. The terms also ask users not to use OpenEvidence to give medical advice or clinical guidance to people in the EU, UK or EEA.
- Canada. OpenEvidence and MINC#NIMC announced on 11 September 2026 that Canadian physicians can verify by entering their MINC (Medical Identification Number for Canada) at registration.
- India, Australia and other countries. The terms accept "other professional licensing number" where applicable, but we could not find a public list of which non-US licence numbers OpenEvidence accepts. The iPhone app was not in the Indian, Australian, South African, Nigerian, Pakistani or Philippine App Stores when we checked.
- No NPI. If you trained abroad and don't yet have an NPI, or you're a student, you still need to pass OpenEvidence's healthcare professional verification before you can use it.
AskMed
AskMed is our pick for clinicians outside the US because it works worldwide with no NPI or US licence. Every claim in an answer links to the journal, guideline or drug label it came from.
| Where | Worldwide, no NPI or US licence needed |
|---|---|
| For | Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, students, researchers |
| Sources | Journals, guidelines, drug labels, clinical references |
| Citations | A link after every claim |
| Local drugs | Official registries such as EMA, medicines.org.uk, CDSCO, TGA |
| Research | Research Mode analyzes up to 20 papers |
| Languages | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Arabic |
| Doses | Never |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Android, web |
The other OpenEvidence alternatives, ranked
The other OpenEvidence alternatives that clinicians outside the US weigh up are BMJ Best Practice, UpToDate, DynaMed and ChatGPT, and each works differently. BMJ Best Practice, UpToDate and DynaMed are point-of-care references written by editors and clinical experts, so you read a topic rather than ask a chatbot. UpToDate and DynaMed have added AI answers built on their own content, with regional limits: Wolters Kluwer says UpToDate Pro Plus featuring Expert AI is currently available only in the United States and Canada, and EBSCO says Dyna AI is currently unavailable in the EU. BMJ says BMJ Best Practice is used by healthcare professionals in more than 100 countries. ChatGPT is a general AI chatbot, not a medical reference. Doximity GPT and OpenAI's ChatGPT for Clinicians are left off this list because both are for verified US clinicians. The list and table below rank the four that work outside the US.
- BMJ Best Practice. An evidence-based clinical reference from BMJ covering diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention, step by step. BMJ says it is updated daily and linked to international guidelines, has a local guidance feature, and its app works offline. Best when you want a structured topic to read at the bedside.
- UpToDate. Wolters Kluwer's clinical decision support reference, with topics written and kept current by expert authors. Subscriptions are sold outside the US, but for individual subscribers, Expert AI (UpToDate's AI answers) comes with UpToDate Pro Plus, which Wolters Kluwer says is currently available only in the United States and Canada. Some hospitals in other countries have Expert AI through an enterprise licence.
- DynaMed. EBSCO's point-of-care reference. Its AI feature, Dyna AI, answers clinical questions from DynaMed's own curated content, and EBSCO launched Dyna AI Mode inside DynaMed in February 2026. EBSCO's press releases say Dyna AI is currently unavailable in the EU.
- ChatGPT. OpenAI's general AI chatbot, available in most countries. It can explain a topic in plain language, but it isn't limited to medical sources, so open and check every source it gives. OpenAI's separate ChatGPT for Clinicians, launched in April 2026, is for verified clinicians in the United States.
| App | Type | Outside the US | AI answers | Where answers come from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AskMed | AI medical reference | Worldwide, no NPI needed | Yes | Journals, guidelines and drug labels, a citation after every claim |
| OpenEvidence | AI medical search | Not in the UK, EU or EEA; Canada via MINC | Yes | Peer-reviewed medical literature, with references |
| BMJ Best Practice | Clinical reference | Yes, used in 100+ countries | Not stated | BMJ topics linked to international guidelines |
| UpToDate | Clinical reference | Yes | Expert AI: individuals in the US and Canada only | UpToDate's expert-written topics |
| DynaMed | Clinical reference | Yes | Dyna AI: not in the EU | DynaMed's curated topics |
| ChatGPT | General AI chatbot | Most countries | Yes | Not limited to medical sources; check each one |
What should you look for in an OpenEvidence alternative?
A good OpenEvidence alternative for a clinician outside the US should pass five checks. First, you can sign up where you practise, without an NPI or a US licence, and the app is in your country's App Store or Google Play. Second, every claim in an answer links to a source you can open, such as a journal article, a guideline or a drug label, so you can check it before you act. Third, it knows non-US guidance and drug names: a doctor in London follows NICE, a cardiologist in Madrid reads ESC guidelines, and a pharmacist in Mumbai needs Indian brand names. Fourth, it works on the devices you use on the ward and at home, phone and laptop alike. Fifth, its limits are stated plainly, such as whether it gives doses and what it does when it finds no evidence. The list below shows how AskMed meets each of the five.
- Access where you work. AskMed works worldwide and doesn't ask for an NPI or a medical licence. It's on the App Store, Google Play and the web.
- A citation for every claim. Each sentence or clause in an AskMed answer is followed by a link to the source that supports it, and the app turns those links into numbered references.
- Non-US guidance and drug names. AskMed searches NICE, WHO, ECDC and ESC alongside US sources such as the CDC and the US Preventive Services Task Force, and looks up local brand names in official registries from many countries. Name your country in the question when local practice matters, and the answer can follow the guidance that applies there.
- Every device. One AskMed account works on iPhone, iPad, Android and the web.
- Clear limits. AskMed never gives drug doses, and when it finds no usable source it says so rather than guessing. Read how AskMed answers for the full list of limits.
How does AskMed answer a clinical question?
AskMed answers a clinical question by searching a fixed list of trusted medical sources first and then having an AI language model write the answer from what that search found. AskMed does not search the open web, forums or social media. It prefers guidelines and health agencies, then systematic reviews and meta-analyses, then review articles and references, then large trials and other studies, and it favours sources from the last 10 years unless the topic is settled basic science. Each answer draws on 8 sources by default, and the Number of sources slider lets you pick any number from 3 to 12. Source filters turn journals, guidelines, drug labels and references on or off, and let you choose study types such as systematic reviews or clinical trials. When sources disagree, the answer says so and says which evidence is stronger. Answers are AI-generated and not reviewed by a person before you see them, so open the citation behind any claim you plan to act on.
- Ask in your own words. Say who the patient is, the setting and your country when local practice matters. A short follow-up such as "and in pregnancy?" is read together with your previous question.
- Attach a file. Add a PDF or an image for context. AskMed can cite your file for what the file itself says, and every other medical fact still needs a published source.
- Go deeper with Research Mode. Research Mode analyzes up to 20 papers on a question, for journal club or a literature review.
- Check and report. Open the numbered citation behind a sentence to read the source. If an answer looks wrong, tap the thumbs down and say why.
Studying for a licensing exam as well? See the best AI apps for PLAB 1 and the best AI apps for USMLE.
Questions
Can I use OpenEvidence in the UK or Europe?
No. OpenEvidence's Terms of Use, last updated on 17 September 2026, say the service is not available in the European Union, the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, and that any access to or use of it from those regions is prohibited. The same rule covers any country under a US trade embargo. The terms also ask users not to use OpenEvidence to give medical advice, clinical guidance or healthcare recommendations to people in the EU, UK or EEA, and OpenEvidence's acceptable use policy rules out submitting information about people who live there. A UK or European medical licence doesn't change this, because the limit is on where the service is used, not on who you are. Clinicians in the UK, EU and EEA who want cited answers to clinical questions can use AskMed, which works worldwide, or a clinical reference such as BMJ Best Practice. If you use UpToDate or DynaMed there, check which of their AI features are offered in your country.
Can I use OpenEvidence without an NPI?
OpenEvidence's registration asks for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) "or, as applicable, other professional licensing number", and its App Store listing says "NPI Required". Canadian physicians can verify with their MINC number. AskMed needs no NPI or medical licence.
Is OpenEvidence available in India, Canada or Australia?
In Canada, yes: physicians can verify with their MINC number. For India and Australia, OpenEvidence's terms don't name either country, but the OpenEvidence iPhone app was not in the Indian or Australian App Stores when we checked on 3 November 2026.
Do I need a medical licence or an NPI to use AskMed?
No. AskMed works worldwide, and you don't need a medical licence or an NPI to sign up. One account works on iPhone, iPad, Android and the web.
Does AskMed follow non-US guidelines?
Yes. AskMed searches NICE, WHO, ECDC and ESC guidance as well as US sources, and is instructed to give the year of each guideline recommendation it states. Name your country in the question, and check which guideline applies where you practise.
Does AskMed give drug doses?
No. AskMed never gives medication doses, schedules or dose calculations. It explains what a drug is used for, how it works, monitoring and safety, and exact dosing comes from the current prescribing information.