The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7193 p506-507
13 April 2002

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What is the role of guidelines?

What is the roles of guidelines, asked Dr CATHERINE DUGGAN, director of the academic department of pharmacy, Barts and the London NHS Trust. There is increasing emphasis on evidence-based practice resulting in guidelines and formularies. "Best practice is the best choice made on the best available evidence for the individual sitting in front of you."

But is the role of guidelines to ensure a certain level of standards, consistency, equity of access and equity of practice or are they a form of professional compliance to control prescribers and to challenge professionalism, she asked. Evidence-based guidelines are seen as a solution but they do not provide the answers: decisions still have to be made in professional practice.

Another dilemma in health economics is how benefits for individuals can be balanced against costs for society. Dr Duggan said that she believed pharmacists are the professionals who are best equipped to appraise objectively the benefits to individuals against the costs to society. "Pharmacists are the recognised experts in safe, appropriate and effective medicines management. Pharmacists can set prescribing standards, base professional development on evidence and put critical appraisal into action."