who medicines strategy - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

WHO MEDICINES STRATEGY 2004-2007 | 98EO 6.2Information management andexchange systems promoted andmade accessible through shareddatabases. Basic regulatoryinformation shared among nationalregulatory authorities and madeavailable to the general publicRationaleWhile the world is undergoing a revolution inaccess to information, almost to the point ofoverload, access to independent informationon the safety and efficacy of medicines remainslimited. Although the information exists andis available from many sources, access isconstrained either by lack of technology orby lack of understanding about how to accessit. WHO recognizes the need to establish asystem for regular exchange of information onpharmaceutical products between regulatoryauthorities in less-developed countries whichoften lack the capacity and tools to obtaininformation that is up to date. WHO alsorecognizes the need for regulatory authorities toprovide unbiased information to prescribers.ProgressEfforts by WHO to strengthen the InformationExchange system have included: the formaldesignation of National Information Officerswithin the national regulatory authoritiesin Member States; active support of drugsurveillance activities by the WHO CollaboratingCentre for International Drug Monitoringin Sweden; continued sponsorship of thebiennial International Conferences of DrugRegulatory Authorities; regular publicationsof regulatory and drug safety informationin the WHO Pharmaceuticals Newsletter,WHO Drug Information, and WHO RestrictedPharmaceuticals List updates; and ad hocpublications of Drug Alerts for the rapiddissemination of urgent safety information toMember States.In order to address the need for unbiasedinformation, a multi-country study was setup to document the variability of prescribinginformation from different sources concerningindications, side effects, and warnings about thepossible adverse effects of selected drugs. Theresults show substantial differences between thematerials available to prescribers and patients indifferent countries. Differences were even foundwithin a single country when written materialsfrom different brands of the same drug werecompared. 53