Centros de informação sobre medicamentos no Brasil : passado, presente e perspectivas do Sistema Brasileiro de Informação sobre Medicamentos

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

1999

RESUMO

Introduction. After discussion on different elements that justify the existence of DICs, definitions of drug information and drug information centers were given and related to the usual activities of the centers, having the passive information as their main activity, the pharmacist, who is a specialist in drug information is the professional who has the most suitable profile to work in DICs, and should be able to do a critical analysis of the current literature, make use of sources of drug information which are reliable, impartial and updated, to communicate relevant information in time to be used. Also, the advantages of a DIC network were stated. Method. The activities of Brazilian Drug Information Center (Cebrim) were described based on its activities annual reports, focusing on the activities in 1998. The development of Brazilian Drug Information System (Sismed) was described according to the perspective of Cebrim, its generating Center. The present functional situation of the DICs was established through the analysis of the answers from questionnaires sent to ali DICs in Brazil. Results and Discussion. In 1998, Cebrim received 754 requests about drug information - which is on a parallel with international levels - and answered the requests in a levei suggested by the literature (68% of the questions were answered within 24 hours). Regarding active information, the most relevant activities were the organization of 4 courses on qualification of professionals to create and develop DICs as well as the organization of two meetings of DICs. In addition to that, participation in congresses and the edition of a bulletim (since 1996) are also relevant. Sismed is described as an informal structure that is integrated by the different centers through Protocol of Cooperation. Each DIC is autonomous and colaborates with the other ones. The Meetings of the representatives of DICs were held in 1996 and 1998. In order to have the II Meeting of DICs, in 1998, questionnaires were sent to 18 DICs (total number of DICs of Brazil). The answers sent by 16 DICs (89%) made possible for the DICs to be described according to their institutionallocation, existence time, daily working hours, profile of their professionals and their main activities. The method used to describe the activities of the DICs in Brazil, through it s based on literature of the subject, has its main limitation in the way the information was requested, leading to answers that tend to be superficial, only numerical. Conclusions and Recommendations. The centers should to be advised to show their social, economical and professional impact as to keep and expand the service. It is suggested that the DICs participate more in Committees of Pharmacy and Therapeutics and develop quality assurance programs. As a strategy to strenghten the DICs, it is also. suggested that they specialize, either in clinical areas as pediatrics, geriatrics, obstetrics, cardiology, or in activities of research and services related to pharmacoepidemiology, as studies of drug utilization and pharmacovigilance. The drug information is a fundamental component of a National Policy of Drugs to adopt a policy of rational use of drugs in order to contribute to the health of the population and improve their quality of life

ASSUNTO(S)

farmacologia servicos de informação medicamentos

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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