Related Experiment Videos
What should be updated in the WHO guide to good prescribing?
Mariëlle G Hartjes1,2,3, Fleur M W Hendriksen4,5, Michiel J Bakkum4,5
1Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, unit Pharmacotherapy, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands. M.hartjes@amsterdamumc.nl.
Purpose:
Over 30 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the Guide to Good Prescribing (GGP) with its accompanying six-step model for rational prescribing. While widely used and proven effective in teaching clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT), the GGP has never been revised to reflect scientific, societal, technological, and educational developments. The aim of this study was to explore which elements could be revised to actualize its content.
Methods:
CPT teachers experienced with the GGP were recruited from all six WHO regions. Six online nominal group technique sessions were conducted to elicit and prioritize ideas for revising the GGP. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach to capture participants' views on both content and optimal format of the renewed GGP.
Results:
Twenty-six participants shared136 ideas for the revision, grouped into three main areas: ideas about the usability, accessibility, and awareness of the GGP; ideas about the six-step framework; and ideas about background information or supplementary chapters. Suggestions for improving usability emphasized an interactive, digital platform for accessibility, continuous updates, and integrated resources. Regarding the six-step model, participants recommended retaining its structure while incorporating key considerations such as pharmacovigilance, shared decision-making, and deprescribing. Lastly, participants proposed supplementary information on topics such as therapeutic reasoning and special patient populations.
Conclusion:
Suggestions for revising the WHO GGP included integrating contemporary and societal prescribing considerations to enhance its relevance, educational impact and usability, thereby supporting safe and effective prescribing in modern clinical practice.
Related Concept Videos
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Drug Dosage Regimen: Overview
Typically, the starting dose and dosing interval are guided by the manufacturer's recommendations based on clinical trials conducted during and after drug...
Dosage Regimens: Designs and Approaches
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios