Title 22. ESTABLISHING A DRUG INFORMATION CENTRE.pdf ✅

PHARMD GURU Page 1  A “DRUG INFORMATION CENTRE” is an area where pharmacists (or other health professionals) specialize in providing information to health professionals or the public.  The unique aspect of drug information Centre is that it draws together a range of information resources and makes them accessible to people who know how to make the best use of them. INTRODUCTION:  WHO recognizes independent drug information centers as a core component of national programs to promote the rational use of drugs.  DRUG INFORMATION is the process of providing information on the safe and effective use of therapeutic and diagnostic pharmaceuticals.  DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE can be applied to any activity where information about drug use is transferred and includes patient related aspects of pharmaceutical care. FUNCTIONS: 1) The primary function of a drug information centre is to respond to enquiries on therapeutic drug use. 2) Most centers provide services to health professionals and some also offer a service to the public. 3) In some cases toxicology information is also provided. VARIOUS FUNCTIONS OF DRUG INFORMATION CENTRE ARE AS FOLLOWS: DRUG EVALUATION: Assessment of therapeutic drugs is an important function of a drug information centre. The centre must have access to the principal medical and pharmaceutical journals. THERAPEUTIC ADVICE:  Many centers offer patient-related drug information as their primary activity. This requires an adequate understanding of disease states and therapy. ESTABLISHING A DRUG INFORMATION CENTRE
PHARMD GURU Page 2  Therapeutic advice includes factors such as efficacy, optimum dosage, interactions, adverse effects, mode of administration, effects of other disease states, and strategies to promote adherence in chronic conditions. PHARMACEUTICAL ADVICE: Most other enquiries will relate to pharmaceutical preparations generally and include issues of availability, formulation, cost, storage and stability. EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Providing information to health professionals and the public is part of continuing health education. Training graduate and undergraduate students is an important aspect of overall clinical training. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION: Drug information centre scan disseminate information in the form of drug monographs, bulletins and websites. Editorial skills are important for these functions. RESEARCH: Drug information centres should be involved in research activities including pharmacoepidemiology, e.g. drug utilisation studies and pharmacovigilance. PHARMACOVIGILANCE: Drug information centres often have a role in programs which monitor adverse drug reactions. Enquiries about a potential adverse reaction can lead to reports of suspected reactions and research may be required to assess the likelihood that a drug has contributed to a reaction or for subsequent patient management. TOXICOLOGY: Toxicology services provide information and advice on the diagnosis and treatment of poisonings. Toxicology services are best located within hospitals where there is liaison with clinicians who treat patients with poisoning.
PHARMD GURU Page 3 RESOURCES: Drug information centers should have the following resources for effective functioning: PERSONNEL: The number of personnel required will depend on the range of activities offered and the hours of service. A centre should aim to provide a direct service during periods of major demand by its clients. MANAGEMENT: Management is an important component of a successful drug information centre. A centre specializing in drug information requires coordination, monitoring and promotion. The manager’s responsibilities include:  Staff recruitment and coordination.  Training.  Promoting the service.  Identifying and maintaining appropriate resources.  Data management and reporting.  Quality assurance and improvement.  Liaison with colleagues, professional organisations (e.g. FIP Pharmacy Information Section), networks, university departments of pharmacy practice, and government agencies.  Strategic development. TEXTS AND DATABASES:  The centre should maintain its own library of commonly used resources. Additional books and other publications should be accessible in hardcopy or electronically from external sources.  An adequate literature search requires an understanding of available sources and their limitations, and training in the use of indexing terms and functions. FACILITIES: Basic equipment required for a centre includes:  Furniture - desks, chairs, shelving.