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A scoring system for selection of essential drugs
V S Mathur1, R R Chaudhury, H S Fraser
1Division of Human Function, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain.
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Therapy, and Toxicology
|March 1, 1988
Summary
A new scoring system helps select essential medicines based on efficacy, safety, and cost. This adaptable tool aids developing countries in choosing cost-effective drugs and can assist individual patient decisions.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Health policy
- Drug selection
Background:
- Essential medicines are crucial for public health systems.
- Selecting appropriate medicines requires a systematic approach.
- Cost-effectiveness and local factors significantly influence drug choices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a scoring system for selecting essential medicines.
- To provide a framework for prioritizing drugs based on multiple criteria.
- To support cost-effective drug selection in developing countries.
Main Methods:
- Developed a scoring system incorporating efficacy, safety, cost, compliance, usage, administration, and availability.
- Applied differential weighting to criteria based on national contexts.
- Illustrated the system's utility with examples focusing on cost and compliance.
Main Results:
- The scoring system offers a flexible method for essential drug selection.
- It allows for country-specific weighting of factors.
- Demonstrated the impact of cost and compliance on drug choice.
Conclusions:
- The proposed scoring system facilitates the selection of appropriate and cost-effective essential medicines.
- It is adaptable to varying national priorities and can be used for individual patient decision-making with computational aid.
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