• Coercive rules that attempt to force rational prescribing behaviours on prescribers rarely succeed unless most prescribers are already convinced of their relevance.

• Accurate, honest and regular information to prescribers is an important prerequisite for improving the rationality of prescriptions, but information alone does not have a lasting effect.

• Rational prescribing is best achieved by focusing on the most important problems and seeking to help prescribers to resolve their clinical problems. Various ways of organizing the management of prescribing and care are used in different situations.