Developing a national formulary based on a unified payment system in Iran

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Pharmaceutical Policy
• Public Health

Background:

• National formularies are crucial for medicine accessibility and accurate drug information.
• Developing a national formulary aligned with a unified payment system is essential for Iran.
• This study addresses the need for an updated national formulary model in Iran.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a model for Iran's national formulary.
• To base the model on a unified payment system and international standards.
• To enhance medicine access, quality, and cost-effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach including descriptive, comparative, and qualitative analyses.
• Comparative analysis of 14 national formularies against the World Health Organization (WHO) standard model.
• Expert panel consensus from 12 medicine economy faculty members.

Main Results:

• National formularies globally align with the WHO model, comprising introductory information, monographs, appendices, and indexes.
• Key elements include drug selection criteria, dosing, side effects, and drug interactions.
• Expert panel confirmed the necessity of cost-effectiveness and drug codes in monographs.

Conclusions:

• An updated national formulary model for Iran was developed, integrating a unified reimbursement system, WHO guidelines, comparative analysis, and expert opinion.
• The model supports informed decision-making for healthcare professionals, promoting safe and effective medicine use.
• Implementation can facilitate the selection of high-quality, cost-effective medicines and mitigate marketing influences.