Medication assistance: the development of drug surveillance and drug information in The Netherlands.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the development of drug surveillance and drug information in The Netherlands.


RESULTS
Historically, the professions of medicine and pharmacy have existed separately with little contact between them. Since the 1960s, this situation has changed in The Netherlands. Both professions are cooperating to an ever-increasing degree, primarily in the areas of computerized drug surveillance and individualized patient drug information, resulting in greater patient benefit.


CONCLUSIONS
Exchange of knowledge between physicians and pharmacists, greater cooperation among professionals, use of computerized patient medical records, and involvement of the patient in his own healthcare will have a positive influence on the development of drug assistance in the future.
van Gruting
C W
CW
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.
de Gier
J J
JJ
D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems; D003625:Data Collection; D004346:Drug Information Services; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004348:Drug Labeling; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D009426:Netherlands; D010595:Pharmacists