Promoting Rational Use of Medicines: Core Components - WHO Policy Perspectives on Medicines, No. 005, September 2002: Key documents

Promoting Rational Use of Medicines: Core Components - WHO Policy Perspectives on Medicines, No. 005, September 2002
(2002; 6 pages) [French] [Spanish]

Table of Contents

	Definition of rational use of medicines
	The problem of irrational use
	Assessing the problem of irrational use
	Working towards rational use of medicines
	Core policies to promote more rational use of medicines
		1. A mandated multi-disciplinary national body to coordinate medicine use policies
		2. Clinical guidelines
		3. Essential medicines list based on treatments of choice
		4. Drugs and therapeutics committees in districts and hospitals
		5. Problem-based training in pharmacotherapy in undergraduate curricula
		6. Continuing in-service medical education as a licensure requirement
		7. Supervision, audit and feedback
		8. Independent medicine information
		9. Public education about medicines
		10. Avoidance of perverse financial incentives
		11. Appropriate and enforced regulation
		12. Sufficient government expenditure to ensure availability of medicines and staff
	Key documents
	Contacts at WHO Headquarters

Key documents

Grimshaw JG, Russell IT, Effect of Clinical Guidelines on Medical Practice: A Systematic Review of Rigorous Evaluations, Lancet, 1993; 342: 1317-132.

Hogerzeil HV, Promoting Rational Prescribing: An International Perspective. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1995; 39: 1-6.

Hogerzeil HV, et al. Field Tests for Rational Drug Use in Twelve Developing Countries, Lancet, 1993; 342: 1408-1410.

Laing R, Hogerzeil HV, Ross-Degnan D. Ten Recommendations to Improve the Use of Medicines in Developing Countries. Health Policy and Planning, 2001; 16(1): 13-20.

Quick JD, Rankin JR, Laing RO, O'Connor RW, Hogerzeil HV, Dukes MNG, Garnett A. Managing Drug Supply, 2^nded. West Hartford: Kumarian Press; 1997.

Weekes LM, Brooks C. Drugs and Therapeutics Committees in Australia: Expected and Actual Performance. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1996; 42(5): 551-7.

*World Health Organization. Essential Drugs Monitor, 1997; 23: 10.

*World Health Organization. Ethical Criteria for Medicinal Drug Promotion, Geneva: WHO; 1988.

*World Health Organization. Guide to Good Prescribing. Geneva: WHO; 1994.

*World Health Organization, How to Develop and Implement a National Drug Policy. 2^nd ed. Geneva: WHO; 2001.

*World Health Organization, How to Investigate Drug Use in Health Facilities. Selected Drug Use Indicators. Geneva: WHO; 1993.

*World Health Organization. WHO Medicines Strategy: Framework for Action in Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy 2000-2003. Geneva: WHO; 2000. (WHO/EDM/2000.1).

*World Health Organization. WHO Model Formulary. Geneva: WHO; 2002.

World Health Organization, The Rational Use of Drugs. Report of the Conference of Experts. Geneva: WHO; 1985.

*World Health Organization. Teacher's Guide to Good Prescribing. Geneva: WHO; 2001. (WHO/EDM/PAR/2001.2).

* World Health Organization. The Selection and Use of Essential Medicines: Report of the WHO Expert Committee (including the 12^th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines). Geneva: WHO; 2002 (in preparation).

The documents marked with * are also available on http://www.who.int/medicines/