Baseline Study of the Perception of Physicians on the Role of Drug and Therapeutics Committees for Karnataka’s Hospitals

Abstract: Following independence, India's health care system has improved considerably. However, access to essential medicines and rational use of medicines remain areas that require significant improvement. This requires the mutual beneficial interaction of health professionals including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses. One method of achieving this is through the implementation of Drug and Therapeutics Committees in hospitals. The objective of the present study was to establish perceptions of fourteen key administrative physicians on the process, impact, and outcome indicators of Drug and Therapeutics Committee. This was done following the analysis of prescribing indicators in the selected 36 secondary level hospitals in Karnataka. The results show that whilst physicians are positive about the educational role of such a committee in drug use, they remain sceptical about Drug and Therapeutics Committees implementing standard treatment guidelines or monitoring adverse drug reactions and antimicrobial use in hospitals. Despite complex challenges of lack of resources and inadequate use of medicines, the non-mandatory status of the need for Drug and Therapeutics Committees in hospitals in Karnataka means that the important forum that undertakes policy, regulatory and educational activities in hospitals are not in place.

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