UK govt moves on drug use, e-Rxing

The UK government is shortly to seek nominations for members of a newtask force whose remit will be to find ways to improve advice and support for patients on understanding their medicines and how to take them. Currently, "up to half of all people with chronic disease end up using their medicines in a way that is not fully effective, and the consequences can be serious," said Health Minister Lord Philip Hunt.

L1.3 million ($1.8 million) will be made available over the next two years to support the work of the task force, which will bring together patients, the National Health Service, social care, health care professions and the pharmaceutical industry, Lord Hunt noted. The task force will implement a national strategy to integrate partnership in medicines, taking ito account the way the NHS works at all levels, he said. It will develop ways to improve advice and support for patients on their medicines and how to take them, and improve their understanding of their medicines' action and use, of side effects and how to manage them, as well as of the treatment options that are available to them.

Lord Hunt has also announced that three of the seven pilot proposals announced in December 2000 to test the benefits, costs and risks of transmitting prescriptions electronically have now been approved. The three pilot schemes will be run by the following consortia: