The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7330 p885
18/25 December 2004

Essential, authoritative text but pro/con debate would have been interesting

‘Concordance: a partnership in medicine-taking’, edited by Christine Bond. Pp xv+177. Price £34.95. London: Pharmaceutical Press; 2004. ISBN 0 85369 572 5

Concordance is a topic regularly discussed in the pharmaceutical literature and has entered the curriculum of both undergraduate and postgraduate education. The extent to which it is practised however is unclear. This book explores this approach to clinical negotiation in the patient-practitioner relationship regarding medicine use. “Concordance” consists of several essays on this topic from varying perspectives. The chapter authors are authoritative figures who not only describe the literature but can be largely credited with having shaped it.

The opening chapter is a fascinating read that chronicles how the concept of concordance developed. Other chapters consider the patient’s and professional’s perspective, the pharmacist’s contribution, teaching concordance to professionals, research questions to be asked and, finally, a policy framework to take forward concordance. Perhaps the neutral reader (such as this reviewer) would have liked a pro/con debate arguing vociferously for and against concordance because the contrary view is not adequately articulated in the text. Also the book would have been enriched by a chapter written by a patient. However this book is a valuable, well researched addition to the current literature. It is readable, and will be an essential, authoritative text for those educationalists, students, researchers and policy-makers interested in this area.


Rob Shulman

Rob Shulman is an ICU pharmacist at University College London Hospitals