[Assessment of preventable iatrogenic drug therapy: methodology. Round Table No 2 at Giens XIII]

The concept of preventable iatrogenesis has a high priority for the Conference Nationale de Santé. Its implementation could result in the identification of the main relevant actions to be taken to prevent drug related iatrogenesis. Based on a critical analysis of pharmacovigilance experiences, we propose, a scheme to evaluate the degree of avoidability of adverse drug effects. This scheme contains three group of items concerning the drug, the patient and the prescription. It assesses the prescription and the therapeutic approach used for a specific patient within the context of medical knowledge as well as the risk factors presented by the patient.