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ADVANCING PHARMACY WORLDWIDE
RESPONSIBLE USE OF MEDICINES
The use of medicines is an essential component of
the prevention, treatment and cure of disease.
Although medicines can be effective, they can be
hazardous and can be unnecessarily costly unless
they are used responsibly. Responsible use of
medicines reflects a continuum of access along with
appropriate selection and use, and involves all key
stakeholders from the consumers of medicines, to
healthcare professionals, to policy- makers all of
whom are responsible for availability and access.
The responsible use of medicines means:
That a medicine is only used when necessary and
that the choice of medicine is appropriate based on
what is proven by scientific and/or clinical evidence
to be most effective and least likely to cause harm.
This choice also considers patient preferences and
makes the best use of limited healthcare resources.
There is timely access to and availability of quality
medicine that is properly administered and
monitored for effectiveness and safety.
A multidisciplinary collaborative approach is used
that includes patients and carers in addition to
health professionals assisting patients in their care.
This definition of responsible use of medicines
was adopted by the FIP Council in September 2013.
International Pharmaceutical Federation
www.fip.org
Postal address
PO Box 84200
2508 AE The Hague
The Netherlands
Street address
Andries Bickerweg 5
2517 JP The Hague
The Netherlands