An agenda for UK clinical pharmacology: The roles of clinical pharmacologists in formulating medicines policy locally

Abstract

Specialists in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) can add value in day-to-day NHS activities in several ways. They provide a breadth of expertise that is not organ-based or disease-specific and that is based on an intimate knowledge and understanding of the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of pharmacological interventions. More than any other professional group, they can address the growing need for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching to be based on 'thoughtful therapeutics' , not just the mechanics of prescribing. CPT specialists can and do take the lead in making local and national policy decisions relating to drug usage and they should be involved in local commissioning decisions. Because of the breadth of experience embraced by CPT, many clinical pharmacologists have taken on local and national senior clinical leadership roles. CPT needs to demonstrate to the NHS, and in particular to trainees, that a CPT post in the NHS is a legitimate and rewarding career path, where they can use their hard earned CPT skills and expertise to the benefit of the NHS as a whole.

Drug and therapeutics committees as guardians of safe and rational medicines use

“…The committee's role may vary from one health care organization to another. Briefly, the committee would concern itself with the rules and regulations governing the use of drugs in its organization, publish a list of permitted medicines based on efficacy, safety, tolerability and cost, consider any restrictions on their use, and supervise the addition and removal of medicines from the list …”

Status Toward the Implementation of Precision Dosing in Children

“…Identified clinical trials for precision dosing algorithms were reviewed for their inclusion/exclusion criteria, study design, and sample size. The medical need for precision medicine has been previously assessed 11–13 but has been revisited considering the recent progress in data sharing, analytics capabilities, and decision support capabilities 14 . Various target categories are identified, along with specific agents where the medical need is greatest.…”

Evaluating the effectiveness of drug and therapeutics committees (DTCs) in controlling irrational drug use: A retrospective analysis

“…Its main function is to monitor, analyse, make decisions and hold accountable for the pharmacy work according to the overall development plan and policy of the hospital. However, some hospital pharmaceutical committees only organize regular meetings as their main function, and the contents of these meetings are restricted to studying pharmaceutical policies or organizing drug selection; this lack of involvement means that the pharmaceutical management committee cannot function as the overall decision‐making entity of the pharmaceutical management centre, especially in promoting rational drug use 2 . Since 2011, our hospital has optimized the organizational structure, division of work, management functions and work priorities of the DTC, notably by optimizing the drug use structure, drug use evaluation and monitoring rational drug use 3,4 .…”

“…drug and therapeutics committees (DTC), drug cost control, management measures, rational drug use of these meetings are restricted to studying pharmaceutical policies or organizing drug selection; this lack of involvement means that the pharmaceutical management committee cannot function as the overall decision-making entity of the pharmaceutical management centre, especially in promoting rational drug use. 2 Since 2011, our hospital has optimized the organizational structure, division of work, management functions and work priorities of the DTC, notably by optimizing the drug use structure, drug use evaluation and monitoring rational drug use. 3,4 Additionally, the DTC has carried out continuous improvement work, which has played a significant role in improving the clinical drug use of our hospital.…”