title: [Program for the substitution of therapeutic equivalents in the hospital setting].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A Program of Therapeutic Equivalents (TEP) is here reported which was elaborated and is currently in force at a third level university teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic equivalents were selected within the same pharmacologic group on the basis of approved indications and both efficiency and safety data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TEP considers: a) the substitution of drugs which are considered therapeutic equivalents; b) withdrawal of drugs which have not proved efficiency or are of no interest for inpatients; c) continuation of therapies when changes are not advisable, and d) indistinct use of homologous drugs. From August 1998 up to April 1999, TEP was applied in 505 occasions; it was accepted in 499 (99%) and rejected in 6 (1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The substitution of therapeutic equivalents should be viewed in the context of selecting the most appropriate drugs to be used in the hospital setting. TEP should be a consensus document and supervised by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Commission.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Universitario Son Dureta, Palma de Mallorca.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Delgado Sánchez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puigventós Latorre
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Llodrá Ortola
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Comas Gallardo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cervera Peris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez Pedroche
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Penalva Martorell
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Martínez Domingo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pallarés Ferrerés
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Serra Devecchi
mesh_terms: D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013030:Spain; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency