[The quantitative assessment of drug use]

In a large number of countries where a national health care or a comparable institution is established, precise data on drug utilization are not generally available and often difficult to obtain. This unsatisfactory situation is particularly evident in cases where the preference for drugs in the treatment of certain diseases differ substantially among various countries, since there exists no information about the comparative benefits of the diverse drug regimens. The use of a defined daily dose (DDD) as a unit of measurement makes it possible to compile comparative drug statistics at any time and between regions and countries, independent of changes in prices and currency, as well as differences in drug assortment. The DDD is defined as the assumed average daily doses for adults in the main indication of the drug. It should be emphasized that the DDD is not the recommended dose, but simply a technical unit of measurement.