title: A compilation of research working groups on drug utilisation across Europe.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The assessment of the benefit-risk of medicines needs careful consideration concerning their patterns of utilization. Systems for the monitoring of medicines consumption have been established in many European countries, and several international groups have identified and described them. No other compilation of European working groups has been published. As part of the PROTECT project, as a first step in searching for European data sources on the consumption of five selected groups of medicines, we aimed to identify and describe the main characteristics of the existing collaborative European working groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Google and bibliographic searches (PubMed) of articles containing information on databases and other sources of drug consumption data were conducted. For each working group the main characteristics were recorded.Nineteen selected groups were identified, focusing on: a) general drug utilisation (DU) research (EuroDURG, CNC, ISPE'S SIG-DUR, EURO-MED-STAT, PIPERSKA Group, NorPEN, ENCePP, DURQUIM), b) specific DU research: b.1) antimicrobial drugs (ARPAC, ESAC, ARPEC, ESGAP, HAPPY AUDIT), b.2) cardiovascular disease (ARITMO, EUROASPIRE), b.3) paediatrics (TEDDY), and b.4) mental health/central nervous system effects (ESEMeD, DRUID, TUPP/EUPoMMe). Information on their aims, methods and activities is presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We assembled and updated information on European working groups in DU research and in the utilisation of five selected groups of drugs for the PROTECT project. This information should be useful for academic researchers, regulatory and health authorities, and pharmaceutical companies conducting and interpreting post-authorisation and safety studies. European health authorities should encourage national research and collaborations in this important field for public health.
authors.forename: Mònica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabaté
authors.forename: Juan Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ballarín
authors.forename: Pili
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Petri
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasford
authors.forename: Marieke Wilma
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Schoonen
authors.forename: Marietta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rottenkolber
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fortuny
authors.forename: Joan-Ramon
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Laporte
authors.affiliation: Fundació Institut Català de Farmacologia, Pg, Valld'Hebron 119-129, Barcelona 08035, Spain. li@icf.uab.es.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017723:Drug Utilization Review / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents