Many<unk>  nations have developed national drug policies, a concept that has been actively promoted by the WHO. For example, the national drug policy for Indonesia drawn up in 1983 had the following objectives: *To ensure the availability of drugs according to the needs of the population. *To improve the distribution of drugs in order to make them accessible to the whole population. *To ensure efficacy, safety quality and validity of marketed drugs and to promote proper, rational and efficient use. *To protect the public from misuse and abuse. *To develop the national<unk> utical potential towards the achievements of self-reliance in drugs and in support of national economic growth. To achieve these objectives in Indonesia, the following changes were implemented: *A national list of essential drugs was established and implemented in all public sector institutions. The list is revised periodically. *A ministerial decree in 1989 required that drugs in public sector institutions be prescribed generically and that<unk>  and Therapeutics committees be established in all hospitals. *District hospitals and health centers have to procure their drugs<unk>  on the essential drugs list. *Most drugs are supplied by three government-owned companies. *Training modules have been developed for drug management and rational drug use and these have been rolled out to relevant personnel. *The central drug laboratory and provincial quality control laboratories have been strengthened. *A major teaching hospital has developed a program on rational drug use,<unk>  a hospital formulary, guidelines for rational diagnosis and treatment guidelines for the rational use of antibiotics. *Generic drugs have been available at affordable costs to low-income groups.
Evidence-based pharmacy in developing countries
Urban legends about drugs
Selected Patient Information Resources in Asian Languages
Community health trust
Single-use medical devices
Goal-oriented health care
International healthcare accreditation
Prescription drug purchasing pool