20

ADVANCING PHARMACY WORLDWIDE

RESPONSIBLE USE OF MEDICINES

The use of medicines is an essential component of

the prevention, treatment and cure of disease.

Although medicines can be effective, they can be

hazardous and can be unnecessarily costly unless

they are used responsibly. Responsible use of

medicines reflects a continuum of access along with

appropriate selection and use, and involves all key

stakeholders from the consumers of medicines, to

healthcare professionals, to policy- makers all of

whom are responsible for availability and access.

The responsible use of medicines means:

That a medicine is only used when necessary and

that the choice of medicine is appropriate based on

what is proven by scientific and/or clinical evidence

to be most effective and least likely to cause harm.

This choice also considers patient preferences and

makes the best use of limited healthcare resources.

There is timely access to and availability of quality

medicine that is properly administered and

monitored for effectiveness and safety.

A multidisciplinary collaborative approach is used

that includes patients and carers in addition to

health professionals assisting patients in their care.

This definition of responsible use of medicines

was adopted by the FIP Council in September 2013.

International Pharmaceutical Federation

www.fip.org

Postal address

PO Box 84200

2508 AE The Hague

The Netherlands

Street address

Andries Bickerweg 5

2517 JP The Hague

The Netherlands