Rational Prescription of Drug in Iran: Statistics and Trends for Policymakers

Abstract

Background: Medicine is considered as strategic goods worldwide and, therefore, a huge amount of health care budget is spent on it. To prepare universal access to appropriate health services and achieve the health-related millennium development goals, rational use of drugs is an essential goal in the health system. This study aimed to investigate the proportion of drug prescription in three categories of injections, antibacterials agents and corticosteroids in a 10 year period. Methods: This is a descriptive study using data from an Iranian national insurance organization and National Center of Drug Use. The data about prescribed drugs during 2003 to 2013 were collected and analyzed by Excel Microsoft software, version 2010. Result: Results indicated that injections were decreased from 49.25% in 2003 to 46% in 2013; also, antimicrobials had a decrease from 64.25% in 2003 to 42.2% in 2013. Totally, it was reduced about 16% in the period of 10 years. Corticosteroids increased 10 % from 13% to 23% in 2013. Conclusion: According the present findings that indicate irrational and increasing use of corticosteroids and antimicrobials, it seems necessary for Iranian policy makers to pay specific attention to customizing clinical and pharmaceutical guidelines along with improvement of medical education system and rational prescription, holding scientific committees of prescription supervision, arranging continuous and effective education of health personnel, and improving public culture and community education.

Keywords

• Injections
• Antimicrobials
• Rational prescribing