Expert Workshop “OTC Medicines: the Role of Good Classification Practices in Promoting Medication Safety and Accessibility of in Europe” held in Zagreb
21.11.2014
The Expert Workshop "OTC Medicines: the Role of Good Classification Practices in Promoting Medication Safety and Accessibility of in Europe” was organised by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Health Care (EDQM) and the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices (HALMED) from 20 to 21st November 2014 in Zagreb. Almost hundred participants from national and European competent authorities for medicines, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and pharmaceutical industry from even 19 countries involved in classification of medicines as regard their supply took part in the workshop.
The classification of medicines as regard their prescription or OTC status has a great impact on patient’s safety, accessibility of medicines and rational management of healthcare budgets. National competent authorities decide on the classification of products as regard their supply. Taking account that criteria for classification of medicines significantly differ from one country to another, a harmonisation of these criteria is being carried out at the European level.
The workshop was aimed at helping participants to expand their knowledge and familiarise with the Committee of experts on classification of medicines as regard their supply (CD-P-PH/PHO), which provides competent authorities that are members of the European Pharmacopoeia with annual recommendations for classification of medicines and establishment of good classification practices and collect feedback information from all interested parties, including patients organisations. The work programme of the CD-P-PH/PHO Committee, co-ordinated by the EDQM is based on Council Of Europe Resolution ResAP (2007)1 on classification of medicines as regard their supply.
Workshop discussions were primarily focused on:
- raising awareness, education and health literacy of patients on safe and adequate level of use of OTC medicines
- new procedures in medicines distribution, with special emphasize on distant selling
- possible regulation of OTC classification as regard their supply in "In pharmacy” and "In general sale”
- regulatory, scientific, and social dimensions of these topics.
With this workshop all interested parties in this field demonstrated their readiness for a common action with the aim of harmonisation of OTC classification and promoting of safe and accessible medicines for European patients.
Report on the workshop is available here.
