Overview, Challenges and Future Prospects of Drug Information Services in Nepal: A Reflective Commentary

• Published in: Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare Vol. 13; pp. 287 - 295
• Main Authors: Shrestha, Sunil, Khatiwada, Asmita Priyadarshini, Gyawali, Sudesh, Shankar, P Ravi, Palaian, Subish
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; clinical pharmacologists; Contract manufacturing; drug information center; Drug resistance; Drug stores; Drug therapy; Drugs; Drugstores; Education; Evidence-based medicine; Finance; Health care; Health care industry; Health care information services; Hospitals; Information services; Medical errors; Medical libraries; Medical personnel; Medicine; nepal; Online health care information services; Patients; Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmaceutical services; pharmacist; Pharmacists; Pharmacy; pharmacy practice; Private hospitals; Product safety; Professionals; Publishing; Review; Teaching hospitals; Nepal; India; drug information center; hospitals; drug information; medicine information services; evidence-based medicines; pharmacist; pharmacy practice; pharmacovigilance; Nepal; clinical pharmacologists
• ISSN: 1178-2390; 1178-2390
• DOI: 10.2147/JMDH.S238262

Drug information center (DIC) or Medicine information services provides impartial, well-referenced, critically evaluated, updated information on various aspects of medications to healthcare professionals and consumers. Medicine information services also contribute to the minimization of medication errors by promoting medication education and supporting pharmaceutical services. The main objective of this reflective commentary is to highlight the recent scenario of medicine information services in Nepal, challenges for DIC, how DICs can be strengthened and future perspectives of DIC. The availability of medicine information in various online drug information sites and numerous applications (apps) have made it easier to assess the information in the country such as Nepal. However, the reliability and validity of such information should be considered before dissemination. DIC plays a crucial role in improving drug safety by aiding clinicians in safer use of medications and promoting adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting in Nepal. Financial support for operating the DIC efficiently is scarce in Nepal resulting in operational problems. The performance of the medicine information services in the country should be evaluated periodically to ensure the good quality of the service. Steps should be taken by the government, private hospitals and regulatory bodies to sustain the already established DIC and to establish additional DICs in the future to provide quality health care service to the community.