Evaluation of rational use of medications in the United States

Rational medication use means taking medication appropriately for curing and relieving the symptoms of disease on the basis of evidence and sound judgment. We compare US policy experience on rational use of medications with the World Health Organization (WHO) list of interventions designed to promote such use. Current US performance and educational, managerial, and regulatory interventions to improve it are discussed. We conclude that, while most of the WHO guidelines for rational medication use are practiced in some form in one or more of the various US health care subsystems today, overall performance based on outcomes is not comparable with that of other industrialized countries. This is due to the absence of a national drug policy, the presence of a few strong stakeholders with committed policy preferences, and the altogether fragmented character of the US state and federal health systems. Practical suggestions are offered as to how the US could improve its overall less-than-optimal policies on rational medication use.