[Professional and social responsibilities of clinical pharmacology]

According to the decision of the Scientific and educational board of the Medical Faculty in Novi Sad the Institute for pharmacology toxicology and clinical pharmacology introduced the clinical pharmacology in 1975. Postgraduate studies were organized for those wishing to specialize, i.e. to get their M.Sc. degree in clinical pharmacology. Besides the youngest members of the Institute (now they are all associate professors) these studies were successfully completed by many doctors from other clinics or those employed in pharmaceutical industry. The publications which the Institute published from the field of pediatric clinical pharmacology were the very first ones not only in our country but also in world proportions. International methods for the evaluation (DDD, ATC code) of the scope and structure of drugs usage were introduced and modified according to our conditions and requirements. The studies on the usage of drugs were among the first pharmacoepidemiological studies in country and abroad. On the basis of these activities the Institute was two times the organizer of the scientific meeting sponsored by WHO. As a response to a sudden increase of the need for information on drugs due to disturbed supply and distribution of drugs from abroad (through humanitarian aid) a telephone and modem information service has been organized within the Institute. The printing of the book titled Drugs in Use was initiated (five editions since 1992) together with the issues on computer discs. The publishing of the journal Pharmaca Iugoslavica was also started under the auspices of the Association of Health Care Organizations. The service for adverse events registration was also organized. Through its activities in planning and organization of pharmacokinetic and clinical investigations, development of new analytic methods and performance of pharmacokinetic studies the Institute contributed to the development of new drugs and gave new theoretical solutions in pharmacokinetics. The Institute also initiated the establishment of the Committee for drugs of the Medical Faculty. Its professors are members of the Commission for Social Insurance, Federal Commission for Drugs and Federal Commission for Poisons. Through all mentioned activities the Institute has greatly influenced not only our but also general medical community.