The evolutionary role of the pharmacy and therapeutics committee in technology assessment.
The origins of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee is intertwined with the evolution of the modern practice of pharmacy. Although the P&T Committee has been uniquely developed to help make coverage decisions, this implies that its technology assessment function, particularly with regard to medicines, has paved the way to more cost-effective and evidence-based practice. This article, which briefly traces the lineage of the first known "formulary" employed during the Revolutionary War to today's P&T Committee, argues that its true function--technology assessment--serves as the basis for coverage decisions throughout health systems.
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Stanton R
SR
Medicom International, Bronxville, New York 10708, USA. stan.mehr@medicomint.com
D010606:Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee; D024382:Professional Role; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D014481:United States