PHA-Exchange> Rationl drug use

[Claudio]

Press Release on Rational Drug Use

 

Rational drug use could be defined as patients receiving medications appropriate to their clinical needs, in doses that meet their own individual requirements, for an adequate period of time, and at the lowest cost to them and their community. However, more than 50 per cent of all medicines worldwide are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately, while another 50 per cent of patients fail to take them accordingly. This is irrational drug use.

 

Poly pharmacy (the use of too many medicines per patient), inappropriate use of antimicrobials, often in inadequate dosages for non-bacterial infections, over use of injections when oral formulations would be more appropriate, failure to prescribe in accordance with accepted clinical guidelines, inappropriate self medication are a few common instances of irrational use.

 

The paper outlines a few causes of irrational drug use: 

*Irrational prescribing practices of doctors 

*Dispensing by pharmacists and drug sellers

*Drug pricing policies and promotional activities of the pharmaceutical industry

*Lack of information, education and communication on rational drug use to providers and              consumers

*Lack of effective control and regulatory mechanisms on drug use and 

*Lack of political will and leadership to promote rational use.

 

The consequences of this mal practice would not merely deprive the patient of the full benefits of available drugs leading to poor patient outcome but would also result in ineffective treatment, harmful effects and adverse reactions thereby increasing the household and government drug / health expenditures, morbidity and mortality rates, antimicrobial resistance giving away to expensive newer generation antimicrobial treatment and non-sterile injection use transmitting blood borne infections like Hepatitis B & HIV/AIDS.

 

The paper concludes with concrete steps to promote the rational use of drugs, which include the following;

Ø       A mandated multi-disciplinary national body to coordinate medicine use policies

Ø       Develop and implement a comprehensive National Drug Policy (NDP), based on the Essential Medicines Concept, as a part of the national health policy.

Ø       Establish transparent procedures for developing, disseminating, utilizing and revising national Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) with updated drug price information. 

Ø       Establish procedures for developing and revising an Essential Drug List (or hospital formulary) based on STGs and use in practice, training and supply.

Ø       Require hospitals to establish representative Drugs and Therapeutics Committees (DTC) with defined responsibilities for monitoring and promoting quality use of medicines

Ø       Establish a national / regional drug information centers to disseminate independent medicine information and to track after complaints on adverse effects or problem drugs. 

Ø       Encourage active involvement by consumer organizations in public education about drugs, and devote government resources to support these efforts

Ø       Implement an appropriate and enforced regulation by a sufficiently funded Drug Regulatory Authority backed up by the judiciary.  

Ø       Develop a strategic approach to improve prescribing in the private sector through appropriate regulation and long-term collaborations with professional associations

Ø       Establish systems to monitor key pharmaceutical indicators routinely in order to track the impact of health sector reform and regulatory changes

Ø       Sufficient government expenditure to ensure availability of medicines and staff at any time 

For further information contact: 

Information & Communications Officer, Health Action International Asia Pacific,

No 5, Frankfurt Place, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka, Tel: + 94 11 2554353, Fax: + 94 11 2554570, Email: passanna at haiap.org

 

Health Action International Asia Pacific (HAI AP), the Asian arm of the International Non Governmental Organization, Health Action International is a network of organizations and individuals involved in health and pharmaceutical issues. HAI AP plays a key role in upholding health as a fundamental human right by organizing, co-partnering and participating actively in public fora at national, regional and international level. HA IAP campaigns and lobbies for rational drug use and access to essential medicines.                   

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