Influencing prescribing - DUE and other initiatives for pharmacists

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Drug use evaluation (DUE) has been employed in the US hospital setting for more than 30 years as a means of influencing the prescribing behaviour of physicians. Recently, federal legislation was introduced requiring DUE for ambulatory patients receiving medication through federally funded programmes. Dr Gary Smith from the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson, US, provided an overview of the DUE process and its effect on changing prescribing practices during a presentation at the 55th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences [ Stockholm, Sweden; August 1995 ]. In addition, new initiatives for influencing prescribing, such as disease-based management programmes, clinical practice guidelines, clinical pathways and treatment protocols were discussed.