Abstract

DRUG INFORMATION SERVICES IN INDIA: A REVIEW

Anjali K.* and S. P. Bhatt

Abstract

The rapid advancements in science and technology has given rise to huge number of medicines and vast amount of informations are now available regarding drugs and diseases. When practitioners don’t have time to sort out the informations from all the medical journals there tend to be a rise in irrational drug use. In such a situation a drug information centre (DIC) can help in providing unbiased information for ensuring rational drug use. DIC is defined as a service unit committed to providing drug information related to therapies, pharmacoeconomics, education and research programs. WHO recognizes DIC as a core component of national programmes to provide rational drug therapy. Even though this is a well established concept abroad, India is still in stage of infancy. In India the southern states have a well equipped facility for drug information services but the same is lacking in north India. The provision of DIC is important for better health care even though its running is challenging in developing countries.

Keywords: Drug information services, drug information centre, clinical pharmacy, India.