Guidelines for ATC classification and DDD assignment - WHOCC

manufacturers, researchers and others). However, as with ATC code assignment, it
is the manufacturer who will usually have the best access to the required
information.
A DDD will only be assigned for substances which have received an ATC code, or
where the ATC code can be assigned simultaneously with the DDD. DDDs are not
assigned before marketing is approved in at least one country.
All new DDDs are discussed and approved by the WHO International Working
Group for Drug Statistics Methodology.
The steps in the approval procedure for new DDDs are very similar to the
procedure for new ATC codes (see page 38, 39):
- The Centre will confirm receipt of the request for a new DDD and give
information to those requesting the DDD (the applicant) about the time schedule
for discussion at the following Working Group meeting.
- After approval of the minutes of the Working Group meeting, the decision from
the meeting concerning the DDD is distributed from the Centre to the applicant.
- The new DDDs are published on the website www.whocc.no and in the next
issue of the WHO publication: WHO Drug Information. A deadline is then
allowed for interested parties to comment or object to the new DDD.
- If objections, justified on submitted evidence, are received, the DDD will be
discussed again at the following meeting of the Working Group. If the decision is
kept, then the decision is considered final after this meeting. If a new decision is
taken by the Working Group, notification of this new DDD is published at our
website www.whocc.no and in the next issue of the publication WHO Drug
Information. A deadline is then allowed for any interested part to comment or
object to the decision.
- If no objections are received, the new DDD is considered final after the deadline,
and included in the next issue of the ATC classification index (see page 42). A
list of final DDDs is also published semi-annually at our website www.whocc.no
and in the WHO Drug Information.
In order to include requests for new DDDs on the agenda for the Working Group
meetings, they should be forwarded to the Centre before 15 January (March
meeting) and before 15 August (October meeting). These dates should be
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