Abstract:

The objective of this seminar is to give hospital pharmacists an overview of how accurate and relevant information about efficacy, effectiveness and safety of drugs can be prepared, collected and disseminated. Some of the information easily available on drugs is provided by pharmaceutical companies, and was generated for regulatory approval of drugs. Information on issues ranging from effectiveness of drugs to safety and efficacy issues in specific patient groups is often harder to find. Part of the seminar will concentrate on the work of an institutional independent body working in a centralized manner, while the second part will be more focused on hospital based practice.

Teaching Goals:

• Present methodologies and processes to generate and access non-biased and relevant information on efficacy, effectiveness and safety of drugs. Specific examples of relevant drugs for key areas of hospital practice (cancer, infectious disesases, etc.) will be presented.
• Review the work of a hospital based information centre, and the practical problems found dealing with information, from passive response to proactive dissemination. Focus on special patient groups (pregnant, paediatric, elderly)

Learning Objectives:

The attendants should:

• be able to summarize key sources of information, including clinical data supporting regulatory approval, expected benefit compared to previous treatment alternatives, and cost-benefit and safety for special patient groups
• be able to explain to other members of the health team and patients the information base supporting suggestions or decisions concerning adequate drug use.
• Have a basic knowledge about the workings of a hospital based medicines information centre.