title: Formulary systems and pharmacy and therapeutics committees in the Western Pacific Region: exploring two Basel Statements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of formulary systems and pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committees in the Western Pacific Region (WPR) and the factors associated with their use were explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Minor additions were made to a previously validated survey and reviewed by a WPR advisory committee. The Basel Statements 26 and 27 survey was made available in eight languages and sent electronically to 1989 hospital pharmacy directors through respective hospital pharmacy associations in the WPR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 797 responses (40%) from 34 nations were received. Of these responses, 87% of hospitals (691 of 797) used a formulary. Also, 93% of respondents (619 of 664) indicated that their hospital had a P&T committee. However, only 44% of respondents (274 of 626) reported that more than half of their formulary medicines were linked to standard treatment guidelines. Furthermore, only 41% of hospitals (247 of 601) had a policy for off-label medication use. The pharmacy directors' perceived benefits of formularies were correlated with having more formulary medicines linked to standard treatment guidelines, basing their use on the best available evidence, and having a policy for the use of off-label medicines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large proportion of hospitals in the WPR have implemented formularies and P&T committees. Although formularies are commonly used, their effectiveness may be limited, as formularies are often not linked to standard treatment guidelines or the best available evidence.
authors.affiliation: Sydney Hospital and Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. jonathan.penm@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Penm
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chaar
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dechun
authors.forename: Rebekah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moles
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005572:Formularies, Hospital as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D010139:Pacific Islands; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010606:Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013557:Switzerland