Top 200 prescribed drugs as a tool for pharmacy teaching and training

Authors

  • Win Winit-Watjana Practice and Policy, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well-being, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland, Wharncliffe Street, Sunderland, SR1 3SD, UK
  • Deanne Francis Practice and Policy, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well-being, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland, Wharncliffe Street, Sunderland, SR1 3SD, UK
  • Hui M. Ho Practice and Policy, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well-being, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland, Wharncliffe Street, Sunderland, SR1 3SD, UK

Keywords:

educational tool, pharmacy teaching, pharmacy training, top 200 prescribed drugs

Abstract

Pharmacy students and pharmacists need to have in-depth knowledge of prescribed drugs to provide effective pharmacy services. This study aimed to develop a list of the UK‟s top 200 prescribed drugs with relevant details and to elicit students‟ perceptions of its format and usefulness. The drug list was devised using the Prescription Cost Analyses 2006 and 2007, and the students‟ opinions were gathered from a focus group of nine Level-4 MPharm students. The results showed that 115 drugs in the list (57.5%) were prescribed as generics, and three most commonly prescribed therapeutic classes were found in the central nervous system (28.5%), cardiovascular system (21.0%) and infections (9.5%). The focus group found the drug list was applicable to pharmacy education and training, and it should be in form of a booklet for quick reference. Further studies are required to assess the use of the drug list in practice.

References

Carroll, M.M., & Oliveira, M.A. (2006). Identification and design of novel teaching approaches that enhance the link between biochemical concepts and top 200 prescribed drugs. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, San Diego, California, Jul 5, 2006. Retrieved April 30, 2008, from http://www. allacademic.com/meta/p119124_index.html

Chioncel, N.E., van der Veen, R.G.W., Wildemeersch, D., & Jarvis, P. (2003). The validity and reliability of focus groups as a research method in adult education.

International Journal of Lifelong Education, 22(5), 495- 517.

Croft, A. (2007). Opportunities and challenges for generic drugs in the UK. West Susssex: Espicom.

de Vries, T.P.G.M., Henning, R.H., Hogerzeil, H.V., & Fresle, D.A. (2000). Guide to good prescribing: a practical manual. Geneva: the World Health Organization. (Original work published 1994)

Evans, C., Foushee, L., & Al-Achi, A. (2006). Top 200 prescribed drugs learning tool and objective evaluation instruments in community pharmacy clerkship sites. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 46(2), 292-293.

Kanavos, P. (2007). Do generics offer significant savings to the UK National Health Service? Current Medical Research and Opinion, 23(1), 105-116.

Lamb, E. (2007). Top 200 prescription drugs of 2006. Pharmacy Times, May, 34-37.

Lamb, E. (2008). Top 200 prescription drugs of 2007. Pharmacy Times, May, 20-23.

NHS Direct. (2008). Medicines information: why can the same medicine have different names? London: Author. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from http://www.nhs.uk/ conditions/medicinesinfo

Roberts, K. (2001). More than the sum of the parts: focus groups in health care research and evaluation. Paper presented at the qualitative evidence-based practice conference: taking a critical stance, Coventry University, May 14-16, 2001. Retrieved April 30, 2008, from http:// www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/ 00001715.htm

Rucker, T.D. (1980). The top-selling drug products: how good are they? American journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 37(6), 833-837.

Ruff, C.C., Alexander, I.M., & McKie, C. (2005). The use of focus group methodology in health disparities research. Nursing Outlook, 53(3), 134-140.

Silverman, H.M. (2008). The pill book (13th ed.). New York: Bantam.

Smith, F. (2002). Research methods in pharmacy practice. London: The Pharmaceutical Press.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). (2006). Facts & statistics from the pharmaceutical industry: Medicines and the NHS. London: Author. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from http:// www.abpi.org.uk/statistics/section. asp?sect=4

The British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB). (2008). British National Formulary (BNF) no. 55. London: The Pharmaceutical Press.

The Department of Health. (2008). The White paper: pharmacy in England: building on strengths – delivering the future. Norwich: Information Policy Division.

The NHS Information Centre. (2007). Prescription cost analysis 2006. London: Author. Retrieved November 15, 2007, from http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data- collections/primary-care/prescriptions/

The NHS Information Centre. (2008). Prescription cost analysis 2007. London: Author. Retrieved May 19, 2008, from http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/ primary-care/prescriptions/

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB). (2006). Outline curriculum for training programmes to prepare pharmacist prescribers. London: The Pharmaceutical Press. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from http://www.rpsgb.org/ pdfs/indprescoutlcurric.pdf

Thompson, A. (2003). Patent expiries – how should they affect prescribing advice? Pharmaceutical Journal, 271(7272), 587-589.

Downloads

How to Cite

Winit-Watjana, W., Francis, D., & Ho, H. M. (2015). Top 200 prescribed drugs as a tool for pharmacy teaching and training. Pharmacy Education, 11. Retrieved from https://pharmacyeducation.fip.org/pharmacyeducation/article/view/292

Issue

Section

Research Article