Needs Analysis Research

The Pharmaceutical Alliance commissioned research with a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) including consumers, health professionals, health professionals, manufacturers, government and media. This was not in any way meant to evaluate QUM but rather to clarify the understanding and also the application in the real world environment.

A reference group oversaw the project and the final report was published in 2005. The outcomes were exciting and positive - all stakeholders involved in the research acknowledged the importance and value of QUM and felt that important achievements have been made in the healthcare sector. Seven major barriers hindering the more widespread implementation of QUM were identified - fragmentation (on several levels) was seen as the biggest one, however to balance that, stakeholders also made positive suggestions to bring about action to improve adoption and use in day to day practice.

The research was presented at the National Medicines Symposium and The Pharmaceutical Alliance was awarded the 2006 National QUM Award (Health Industry).