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Drug compliance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

M. R. Lee
M. R. Lee
Affiliation:
Clinical Pharmacology Unit, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
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Synopsis

Compliance with drug therapy is a much neglected part of the science of therapeutics. It is a particular problem with certain chronic diseases, for example, hypertension and diabetes; and certain classes of therapeutic agent, for example, anticoagulants and antiepileptics. Methods for the monitoring of compliance are discussed and it is concluded that the best available are either the electronic drug delivery system or chemical monitoring with a suitable long half-life compound. Until modern methods of measuring drug compliance are introduced, patients will surfer disability and even death. It should also be mandatory for controlled clinical trials of new therapeutic entities to include an acceptable mechanism (or method) for the assessment of adherence to the protocol. If not, the results will be vitiated.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 101: Quality Assurance in Medical Care , 1993 , pp. 227 - 239
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1993

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