A survey of pharmacy-coordinated investigational drug services

Over the past few years, pharmacy involvement in investigational drug studies has grown. In 1986, Kingston General Hospital conducted a nation-wide survey assessing the extent of pharmacy involvement in clinical drug trials. The aims of the present survey were to show how Investigational Drug Services (IDS) have changed in recent years, to determine areas that need improvement, and to characterize methods of reimbursement for IDS. A total of 148 Canadian hospitals (300 or more beds) were mailed a detailed IDS questionnaire. A response rate of 68% was achieved. Survey results were grouped in the following categories: increase in clinical trials involvement, IDS staffing levels, sponsorship of trials, major areas of clinical drug research, areas of IDS needing improvement, and reimbursement issues. The results of this survey indicate that since 1986 pharmacy departments are becoming more involved in the coordination of clinical drug trials. Perceived areas for improvement in IDS were strikingly uniform between institutions, despite a large variation in the extent of existing services. Reimbursement procedures are not consistent and several methods are used to obtain pharmacy funding. Recommendations are offered for assistance in the development or expansion of pharmacy-coordinated IDS in Canadian hospitals.