E-drug: Amateur assessment of GMP
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I'm sure we all share a similar problem of how to assure the
quality of the drugs we are purchasing, dispensing, and
administering to patients. The processes that are under our
direct control are relatively easy to manage through SOP's etc,
but those that happen before the product reaches us are a
concern.
Clearly things like GMP are indicators of good practice on the
part of the manufacturers and in some case it is possible to visit
and examine the premises of the manufacturer or supplier (agent
or wholesaler). This is probably more feasible for larger scale
purchase by Govt departments, charities, NG's etc, where a lot
of the purchase is carried out through a tendering process and
lots of additional information can form the requirement of the
tender. However, there are some much smaller establishments,
such as my own hospital, where the purchasing is not a one-off,
annual event, but is a daily, continual occurrence. We need to
investigate manufacturing quality to just the same extent, but
often have less resources to do this with. Has anyone developed
a tool (questionnaire, or similar) to provide for such a situation?
Do you think on a pragmatic basis, this is a sensible way
forward? How do others in a situation similar to mine cope with
this problem?
Tim Dodd
Director of Pharmacy
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
e-mail: timdodd@brain.net.pk
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