New Releases of pCLOCD and SNOMED CT Available

The July 2021 versions of pan-Canadian LOINC Observation Code Database (pCLOCD) and Systematized NOmenclature of MEDicine -- Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT®) are now available for review and implementation accessible from Terminology Gateway.

In addition, the Standards Resources for COVID-19 page has been updated to provide the latest news and status of SARS-CoV-2/COVID1- 19 content.

*Note: The pCLOCD bi-annual release schedule is shifting to September and March. The first release per this new schedule will be in September 2021.

Content highlights for the July 2021 release of pCLOCD include:

• Changes based on the June 2021 International release of LOINC® include:
  • 50 LOINC codes modified in English & French
• Changes based on pCLOCD Community:
  • 200 new LOINC codes in English and French
  • 60 LOINC codes modified in English & French

Please refer to the specific pCLOCD Release Notes. These notes are intended to accompany the release to provide further information on specific additions and changes that have been incorporated into this release.

Content highlights for the July 31, 2021 release of SNOMED CT include:

• Following on the successful technical preview of the impending Concrete Domains changes, released in February 2021, SNOMED International is now implementing drug concept strengths and counts changes in the July 2021 release. Please refer to the July 2021 Release Notes for details. Contact SNOMED International with questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with “Concrete Domains transition question” in the subject line and cc standards@infoway‑inforoute.ca
• 2,025 new concepts added to the Clinical finding hierarchy.
• 621 new concepts added to the Pharmaceutical / biologic product hierarchy.
• 301 new concepts added to the Procedure hierarchy.
• 103 new concepts added to the Substances hierarchy.
• 128 new concepts added to the Organisms hierarchy.
• 1,249 new concepts in the following hierarchies: Record artefacts (1), Physical objects (317), Situation with explicit context (88), Specimen (10), SNOMED CT Model Component (27), Staging and scales (29), Events (6), Social context (3), Body structure (300), Observable entities (377) and Qualifier value (91).
• Inactivation of 3,018 organism concepts that were moved to the Veterinary Extension.
• Progress on the Anatomy Model including revision for spine related concepts.
• Revision of Pharmaceutical/Biological Product hierarchy including replacement of over 120 clinical drug concept and revision of vaccine attributes including addition of new attributes.
• Revision or remodeling of many concepts including 302227002 |Ecchymosis (finding), 41969006 |Idiopathic disease (disorder), 609406000 |Pseudoallergic reaction (disorder), injury disorder concepts and others.
• Addition of approximately 250 concepts for SNOMED CT to International Classification of Nursing Practice (ICNP) equivalence product.
• Maintenance of the Convergent Medical Terminologies (CMT) Subsets, ICD-10 map, Global Medical Device Nomenclature Agency (GMDNA) map, addition of 433 ICD-11 concepts.
• Technical updates: replacement of the stated relationship files with the new OWL Axiom refset files, documentation to support Logic Profile Enhancements with OWL axiom refset files and Machine Readable Concept Model (MRCM) updates related to Concrete Domains.

*Note: the above figures are based on the member release notes and are subject to last-minute changes.

Highlights for Canadian Users

New editorial guidance for Pharmaceutical Dose Form and Pharmaceutical and Biological Product (includes the Medicinal Product Hierarchy). Access via SNOMED CT Document Library.

Addition or update of over 300 cancer synoptic reporting concepts and inactivation and replacement of neoplastic morphology concepts containing ICD-O-3 classification terming.

Addition of 5 new Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) concepts related to housing instability and 1 new concept for education procedure.

Coronavirus pandemic support and guidance is available via the SNOMED CT COVID-19 Related Content space. For additional Canadian COVID-19 related content visit the Infoway’s Standards Resources for COVID-19 page.

Please refer to SNOMED CT July 2021 International Release Notes for additions and changes incorporated into this release.

Requests for Change

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