Quality & use of medicines
Pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical care
The European Committee on Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Care (CD-P-PH) contributes to the optimal use of medicines and to improving patient quality of life, public health and access to good quality medicines and healthcare, with the support of three subordinate bodies – the Committee of Experts on Quality and Safety Standards in Pharmaceutical Practices and Pharmaceutical Care (CD-P-PH/PC), the Committee of Experts on the Classification of Medicines as Regards their Supply (CD-P-PH/PHO) and the Committee of Experts on Minimising Public Health Risks Posed by Falsification of Medical Products and Similar Crimes (CD-P-PH/CMED).
Activities
Methodological guide to select medicines at risk of shortage
The CD-P-PH approved the terms of reference of a working group that will be tasked with elaborating a methodological guide for selecting medicines that may, in the event of a public health emergency, be in short supply and can be prepared as standardised stock preparations. This is part of a joint initiative with the European Pharmacopoeia Commission (EPC) to alleviate shortages by establishing guidance on the use of unlicensed pharmaceutical preparations prepared in pharmacies (see “EDQM initiatives regarding medicine shortages” for more details).
Guidance documents and recommendations
The draft guidelines on medication review were finalised in line with the feedback received through the 2022 stakeholder consultation and will be published in 2024. This work was presented at the annual conference of the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE).
Progress was made throughout 2023 on the drafting of guidance documents to support the safe and correct use of herbal food supplements and on traceability of medicines in hospital settings. Targeted consultations will be held in 2024 to seek the opinions of interested parties and receive input for the finalisation of the above documents in the most relevant manner possible.
Good progress was also made on the drafting of a recommendation on best practices for the remote and online provision of medicines. The draft is now entering the last stage of verification before being submitted to the CD-P-PH for adoption.
The CD-P-PH/PHO issued 45 recommendations on the classification of medicines and their supply conditions (prescription and non-prescription status). This work aims to ensure patient safety and accessibility of medicines and is highly relevant for health authorities and all stakeholders across the medication supply chain in Europe.
Communication with partners and stakeholders
Interactions took place in 2023 with international organisations, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and professional bodies active in the public health and pharmacy sectors, such as the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) and the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP). The objective was to harmonise efforts aimed at promoting patient-centred care and the appropriate use of medications in Europe.
A webinar was held on 26 January 2023 on Resolution CM/Res(2020)3 on the implementation of pharmaceutical care for the benefit of patients and health services. The aim was to explain the content and added value of the resolution, share examples of how pharmaceutical care activities can be implemented in daily practice, and give an overview of the implementation of pharmaceutical care in some Council of Europe member states.
Furthermore, an online meeting with stakeholders active in the field of pharmaceutical care and falsified medical products was organised jointly by the Committees of Experts CD-P-PH/PC and CD-P-PH/CMED.
Publications
A report entitled “The implementation of pharmaceutical care in daily practice in SEEHN member states. Survey report”. presenting the outcomes of a survey conducted in co-operation with the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) was released and can be downloaded from FreePub. The main objective of this initiative was to map the implementation of pharmaceutical care and related services in daily practice in SEEHN member states that are also Council of Europe members and signatories of the Convention on the Elaboration of a European Pharmacopoeia. This work was presented at the annual conference of the PCNE and at the annual symposium of the ESCP.
Implementation of pharmaceutical care was also encouraged through an article co-authored by the EDQM and published to give recommendations for wider adoption of clinical pharmacy in 13 countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Urbańczyk et al. 2023). The article promotes the use of pharmaceutical care services to optimise pharmacotherapy and improve patient outcomes in this region.
Melclass database
The Melclass database (melclass.edqm.eu) was regularly updated with relevant recommendations from the CD-P-PH/PHO to national health authorities on the classification of medicines and their supply conditions, and with national related information.
