The EAHP EU Monitor is a weekly round up of news relevant to hospital pharmacy in Europe.
You can subscribe to the EAHP EU Monitor here. [1]
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) has this week launched a search for examples of successful initiatives to improve hospital pharmacy practice from across Europe.
The exercise is part of a project led by the EAHP Scientific Committee to build an inventory map of good practice initiatives that can provide practical support and inspiration for hospital pharmacists in every country to embark on fresh improvement projects of their own, especially in an era of constrained budgets in the health service.
More information here [2]:
A study led by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies has set out evidence of the negative impacts on public health arising from the economic crisis.
Amongst the cited findings in the study, Financial crisis, austerity, and health in Europe, published in the Lancet, are:
Summary of report here [3].
Report here [4].
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is seeking stakeholder views on the best ways to ensure the specific needs of the elderly are integrated during the development, approval and use of medicines, especially in relation to quality issues.
Unlike the paediatric case (regulation (EC) No 1901/2006), there is no specific legal requirement for the development of medicines for geriatric use. Yet EMA acknowledge a need for the pharmaceutical development of medicines to take into consideration that:
The short concept paper, published on Friday 5th April 2013, marks the very early stages of the EMA’s review processes on this subject and the consultation seeks initial views on elements of the next steps such as: relevant scientific literature for analysis and gap analysis into the extent to which existing marketing authorizations may not fully meeting the needs of elderly patients.
It is intended that this review process 'should allow the identification of the quality aspects that are unique to medicines for older patients which are not addressed by the current guidelines or other regulatory provisions'.
Formal drafting of a reflection paper is then due to commence in Q3 2013, to be finalized in Q3 2014 and external consultation in Q1/Q2 2015 and finalization by the end of that year.
Responses to the early concept paper are requested by 30th June 2013.
More information here [5].
The online first edition of the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy recently published a research article investigating the rate of adherence to adjuvant hormonal treatment (AHT) by breast cancer patients that opt for hospital direct drug distribution.
The study found a poor level of adherence to AHT over 5 years of follow-up and early discontinuation and non-adherence to AHT were commonly associated with increased mortality.
Full article here [6].
Links
[1] http://www.eahp.eu/newsletter/subscribe
[2] http://www.eahp.eu/press-room/eahp-launch-search-good-practice-initiatives
[3] http://www.smh.com.au/business/world-business/european-austerity-bad-for-everyones-health-20130327-2gtfx.html
[4] http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)60102-6/abstract
[5] http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/doc_index.jsp?curl=pages/includes/document/document_detail.jsp?webContentId=WC500141560&murl=menus/document_library/document_library.jsp&mid=0b01ac058009a3dc
[6] http://ejhp.bmj.com/content/early/2013/03/14/ejhpharm-2012-000244.full