DUR Launched in Korea

DUR (Drug Utilization Review) is to be enforced in pharmacies across the nation, since 1st day of December.

Since DUR helps build atmosphere which underlines reviewing prescriptions, it is expected to provide a remarkable turning point in improving public health.

In particular, in respect that the system guarantees public health through safe-drug-utilization, it requires pharmacists’ aggressive participation.

Patients subject to DUR include patients under health insurance, medical support by the government, and veterans.

Drugs on the list cover drugs financially supported by the government and those not.

Within the prescription, the followings must be checked: banning consumption of medicine in conjunction, banning consumption under certain ages, banning consumption under pregnancy, and safety.

Between the prescriptions, one must check banning consumption of medicine in conjunction and double-prescribing same drug ingredients.

It is officially to be launched on December 1st, but Korean Pharmaceutical Association (KPA) is planning to gradually expand the use of DUR, considering the safety of the program.

The project is to begin since December1st in six regions: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Goyang-si and Ansan-si in Gyeonggi-do, Jongno-gu, Jung-gu and Seocho-gu in Seoul.

Since then, it will be expanded through out the nation; around the 20th, Seoul and entire Gyeonggi-do, in the beginning of January in year 2011, six-metropolitan cities and, at the end of January, rest of the regions.

KPA encouraged members to aggressively participate in settling the program, even though administrative process and burden follows.

Health Insurance director of KPA, Weon-Kyu Ko, said that “Although many efforts are needed, I beg active support from all the members of KPA in order to secure public health.

I also believe that successful settlement of DUR could be acquired when pharmacists take the initiative and when citizens deliver their reasonable claims.”

Source:http://eng.kpanet.or.kr/bbs/desc.jsp?cat=eng_news&oid=14342&pg=0