title: The founding of the EURO-DURG, the European Drug Utilization Research Group.
abstract: About 240 participants from 35 countries met from June 27-30, 1996 at Lake Balaton, Hungary, for the inaugural meeting and also the first specialist congress of Euro-DURG. The large number of participants, engaged discussions with around 30 lectures, workshops, and extensive poster exhibitions demonstrate not only the level of research but also the great interest in cooperation and exchange of experiences. EURO-DURG is an umbrella organization for the national DUR-groups and is independent of industry. Its objective is the promotion of research into drug usage and pharmacoepidemiology as a means for employing rational drug therapy. This issue shall be strengthened through international cooperation. Methodological questions of research into drug usage, and investigations into approaches, and basic conditions for optimizing drug usage were the focal points of the meeting.
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Research Unit, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schubert
mesh_terms: D017723:Drug Utilization Review / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D012107:Research Design / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*