Increasing access to drug utilization data globally: developing an action plan

Abstract

Background: Drug utilization (DU) research intends to support health authorities in the development of evidence‐informed pharmaceutical policy and practice guidelines, with the interest of the patients and communities in mind. DU data is often proprietary and challenging to access for researchers, in particular in resource‐restricted settings. Therefore, governments in low‐ and middle‐income countries should facilitate access to these data, from public and private sources, to researchers in the field of health economics, pharmacoepidemiology, drug utilization, and pharmacovigilance.

Objectives: The workshop intends (1) to provide an overview of challenges that researchers encounter when studying drug utilization in different parts of the world, (2) to identify barriers and enablers of access to DU data, and (3) to propose an action plan to increase DU data access. The workshop is of general interest for all those involved in global DU research and of particular interest for policymakers and researchers confronted with limited access to DU data in their own constituencies.

Description: After an introduction (Monique Elseviers) highlighting the importance to have access to high quality DU data at a regional and national level, an overview of specific challenges of access to DU data will be given for Central and Eastern Europe (Ria Benko), Africa (Johanita Burger), Latin America (Claudia Osorio‐de‐Castro), and Asia (Frank May). Thereafter, participants will assemble per region to identify barriers and enablers to DU data access and propose strategies to address them. Results of the discussion will be noted on poster boards and panellists will register the most important conclusions. During the final panel debate and discussion with the audience (moderated by Robert Vander Stichele), participants will jointly develop an action plan to increase DU data access (panel of all presenters together with Veronika Wirtz, Katja Taxis, Björn Wettermark)