E-DRUG: ATC and DDD (cont)

e-drug
1

E-drug: ATC and DDD (cont)
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So far the discussion has been about DDD. I notice the lack of response on
ATC, which is the drug classification system chosen by WHO.

It was in Bosnia four years ago I really discovered the importance of an
internationally used and accepted drug classification system.
In the UN forces in Bosnia there were personell from at least 20 nations,
and after a while they were supposed to have their medical supplies through
the UN system. UN did not have a drug classification system (nor a
pharmacist!) of their own. Neither did NATO. And neither of them used the
system chosen by WHO, but tried to make it with the alphabet. Russia, US,
UK, Germany and France all had their own national classification systems.
Imagine making a drug inventory under these circumstances. Take as an
example a strong analgesic, fixed combination of acetaminophen and codeine.
The only common system is the alphabet, and should we place the product
under A, P, C or K? (Acetaminophen has the generic name paracetamol in
Europe, and codeine is written as kodein in many languages.)
Imagine purchasing medicines (nationally) in countries with poorly
developed health systems.
Imagine building up drug supplying systems, and drug information systems in
such countries.
Imagine making a pharmaco-epidemiological study in more than one country.
Try to find any drug database (that tries to be international) that has a
drug classification system that is used by more than its home nation.

The drug authorities in some large, rich and well established countries are
doing much harm to the rest of the world (and to themselves) by not looking
beyond their own borders in this matter.

Stein Lyftingsmo
Mmanager
The Hospital Pharmacy of Elverum
N-2400 Elverum Norway
tel +47-6242 2090
fax +47-6242 2095
e-mail sjappe@online.no

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