title: Evaluation of medicine prescription pattern using World Health Organization prescribing indicators in Iran: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to quantify the specialists' prescription pattern in Iran and to point out the prescribing behavioral differences among several specialties.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out on the claim data. National prescription data were obtained on the basis of the claims that the pharmacies submitted to the insurers during 1 year period of the study. More than 85 million prescriptions were analyzed using "Rx-Analyst" software that is designed and applied by National Committee of Rational Use of Medicines in Iran. Specified medical specialties were considered and the World Health Organization prescription indicators were used to evaluate the physicians' prescribing behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average items per prescription were ranged from 3.68 in cardiologists' to 2.06 in dermatologists' prescriptions. The highest and the lowest mean price were belonged to neurologists' and ophthalmologists' prescriptions, respectively. In addition, 45% of patients received antibiotics, 41% of patients received injectable form of drugs, and 23% received corticosteroids. A high tendency toward prescribing corticosteroids and antibiotics as well as an injectable form of medicines was observed among general physicians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an inevitable need to improve prescription habits among different specialties, especially among general practitioners. This causes the policymakers to put more emphasis on priorities such as continuous education.
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Aliasghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.affiliation: National Committee on Rational Drug Use, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Malikeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haerizadeh
authors.affiliation: National Committee on Rational Drug Use, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran ; Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran ; Department of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Management, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Policy Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soleymani
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural and Traditional Medicines, Food and Drug Organization, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahshid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haerizadeh
authors.affiliation: National Committee on Rational Drug Use, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Forouzan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taheri
keywords: Medical specialty; World Health Organization prescribing indicators; prescribing pattern; rational drug prescription