title: [Drug policy 1996].
abstract: The task of the authorities with regard to medications starts with formulating the appropriate rules concerning clinical studies, mainly for drugs that are not yet registered, and also includes registration and reimbursement. There is, however, an important task for the authorities with regard to post-marketing activities, e.g. pharmacovigilance and drug use studies, in order to define better the value of a product, with implications for the future fate and reimbursement of a product. The authorities have also an important role in providing information to those who prescribe, deliver or use medications. Also in order to improve prescribing, the prescriber should be aware of his/her prescribing pattern. Ever more emphasis is put upon the "rational use of drugs" (use only drugs for which validated studies exist, use them in an appropriate manner and with consideration for the financial aspects) and upon "Evidence-Based Medicine" and "Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy". For rational prescribing and use of medications based on evidence, a long term policy is needed and Belgium has in this regard still much to do.
authors.affiliation: Heymans Instituut-Vakgroep Farmacologie Universiteit Gent.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bogaert
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004346:Drug Information Services; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004363:Drug Utilization; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D011640:Public Policy
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
vernacular_title: Geneesmiddelenbeleid 1996.