Drug Utilization Review: Our Patients Deserve Our Very Best

In 1990, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act included requirements for Medicaid patients in an effort to save the federal government money. The requirements included a prospective drug utilization review, patient counseling, and maintenance of patient records. Subsequently, in 1993, when the pharmacy practice requirements went into effect, this federal regulation became the standard of care for pharmacists and part of their professional duty. This article suggests that the pharmacy should review all active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients that are dispensed at the pharmacy and list all interactions or potential side effects in the review, so that a proper drug utilization review can be performed.