Abstract
Across the world medicines are the ubiquitous technology in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Pharmaceutical policy, as part of national health care policy, is concerned with the provision and use of medicines. Pharmacists are critical to the medicines management process, yet are often largely detached from policy development. Logically, they should inform Government policies which impact on their work or where their skills could be best applied to implement health care policy and medicines utilisation in particular. It therefore makes it critically important that the pharmaceutical profession engages with national policy makers and in the strategic planning for health care.This is the first of two articles directed to this specific issue. Firstly, it identifies a number of the practice challenges for pharmacy and medicines management, their implications for policy and the need for a balanced approach. Drawing from a range of international experiences some key learning points in respect of formulating and implementing national medicines policies are presented. Finally, reference is made to several authoritative evidence bases to inform the development of pharmaceutical practice and medicines management policies.
Highlights
Common challenges Across the Commonwealth, despite the diversity in the provisions for health care, with differing levels of development of pharmaceutical services and differing emphases on pharmaceutical practice, a number of common challenges are shared.Among these are, firstly, the challenge for improved safety in medication use in the light of the substantial body of evidence that details the frequency of adverse medication events, the additional cost to treat, including litigation, their impact on the economy by virtue of working days lost, not to mention the human cost to those who are directly and indirectly involved [4,5,6]
Across the world medicines are the ubiquitous technology in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease
Management encompassing the entire way that medicines are selected, procured, delivered, prescribed, administered and reviewed to optimise the contribution that medicines make to producing informed and desired outcomes of patient care [2]. Given their pivotal role within this system in providing pharmaceutical services, it is perhaps surprising that pharmacists are often largely detached from government or health service policy development [3], in some regions, for example, the UK there is a long tradition of Chief Pharmaceutical Officers appointed as professional advisors to Government in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Summary
In a health care system pharmaceutical policy, as part of national health care policy, is concerned with the provision and use of medicines It covers medicine development, manufacture, marketing, distribution, pricing and reimbursement, formulary management, pharmacovigilance, patient eligibility, prescribing practice and professional services, pharmaceutical services. Medicines supply is extensively made through pharmacies or is under pharmaceutical control, not to mention the considerable involvement of pharmacists in medicines Given their pivotal role within this system in providing pharmaceutical services, it is perhaps surprising that pharmacists are often largely detached from government or health service policy development [3], in some regions, for example, the UK there is a long tradition of Chief Pharmaceutical Officers appointed as professional advisors to Government in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Engagement with policy makers needs to recognise the possibility of Morrow Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice (2015) 8:4 self- interest and the professional ethic to uphold and assert the patient or public interest
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