Are Therapeutics Committees part of medication policies of health institutions in Montevideo?

Abstract

The rational use of drugs in health care is related to the development of institutional drug policies.
Therapeutics committees are crucial for their development. The aim of this study was to determine the existence of therapeutics committees and its functions in different institutions of the Integrated National Health System in Montevideo.

A descriptive study using a survey was conducted. The main variables analyzed were presence of therapeutic committee, its conformation, objectives and functions, operating procedures, medicines list, clinical practice guidelines, pharmacovigilance system, policies on medical relationship with pharmaceutical industry, continuing medical education.
A total of 28 institutions were surveyed and 23 responses (82%) were obtained: 10 public health institutions, 8 collective medical care institutions and 5 health insurances. Nineteen institutions (83%) have therapeutics committee, with an average of 6 members; 9 institutions have pharmacologist; 11 have guidelines of procedures. Most of the institutions declared their committees fulfilled all listed functions; 17 have a vademecum, 15 develop institutional clinical practice guidelines; 12 have institutional pharmacovigilance system and notify adverse reactions to the Public Health Ministry. In 12 institutions continuing medical education activities are developed; 5 have regulations on policies on relationship with pharmaceutical industry; 14 believe that therapeutics committees have high impact on decision making.
The scarcity of pharmacologists, the lack of systematization and update of procedures, as well as the poor link with the national health authority are highlighted.