Yang Yanfan.
Only by starting from the source and running anti-waste through the whole process of drug production and circulation can we form a closed loop of governance and minimize the space for waste breeding.
Nowadays, many families are accustomed to stocking up on commonly used medicines. However, due to irrational hoarding of drugs and unscientific preparation of drugs, waste caused by expired drugs is more common. According to a survey, there are about 786% of families have small medicine boxes, but more than 80% of families do not have the habit of cleaning medicine boxes regularly, and the country produces about 1 expired medicine a year50,000 tons.
Drug waste will not only increase the burden of medical insurance and personal drug costs, but also easily cause drug abuse, drug pollution and other potential safety hazards, we must come up with firmer determination, more practical measures to curb it in time. Not long ago, the National Health Commission and other five departments jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Saving Drug Resources and Curbing Drug Waste", which put forward specific work measures and requirements for drug production, clinical use, drug circulation, publicity and guidance, and waste drug management, and provided policy guidance for curbing waste from the perspective of the whole life cycle of drugs.
Strict economy and opposition to waste are our fine traditions. In recent years, many places are actively exploring effective ways to curb drug waste. For example, Ningbo City, Zhejiang, on the premise of ensuring quality and safety, encourages the implementation of partial sales of some drugs to reduce waste from the source; Shanghai has upgraded relevant digital service platforms, organized licensed pharmacists and others to carry out rotations in the form of public welfare services, provided first-class pharmacy services, answered citizens' questions about buying and using drugs in a timely manner, and reduced terminal waste. These measures focus on different links, which are of enlightening significance for establishing and improving the institutional mechanism for curbing drug waste.
It should also be noted that curbing drug waste is a systematic project, involving production, sales, use and other links, and it is necessary to take multiple measures at the same time to form a joint force in order to plug the loopholes and leave no dead ends. From the production side, the packaging of some drugs is not scientific enough, and the dosage of drugs far exceeds the needs of a single course of treatment; From the sales side, the phenomenon of unreasonable drug use caused by large prescriptions still exists; From the perspective of treatment, a unified and standardized channel for the collection and destruction of waste drugs has not been widely established, and residents lack suitable channels to dispose of inexhaustible drugs. The combination of these factors makes governance more difficult. Only by starting from the source and running anti-waste through the whole process of drug production and circulation can we form a closed loop of governance and minimize the space for waste breeding.
To carry out the whole chain of governance, we must also start from the details, do a good job in policy support, enhance operability, and mobilize the enthusiasm of all parties. For example, to implement the sale of drugs, it is necessary to take into account the interests and needs of pharmaceutical companies, medical institutions, pharmacies and consumers, and refine the design of relevant systems. Which drugs can be dismantled?How to split the zeros?How to ensure the quality of drugs and the safety of patients?Only by answering these questions can a long-term mechanism be formed and good policy effects can be produced. For another example, guiding consumers to buy drugs rationally and prepare drugs scientifically is essential to reduce waste, but this requires detailed guidance on medication services. It is advisable to explore incentives to encourage community healthcare facilities and pharmacies to provide pharmacy services, or to have family doctors help contracted residents in need to organize their home medicine kits during follow-up. At present, the online sales of drugs have entered the fast lane, and the difficulty of supervision has further increased, so it is necessary to do a good job in system convergence, strengthen detailed management, and continuously enhance the anti-waste awareness of the whole society.
China is a major industrial and pharmaceutical country in the world, with a complete industrial chain, and the number of varieties and production capacity of pharmaceutical products rank among the top in the world, but it is still necessary to eliminate waste and improve the use rate of drugs. This is of great significance for improving the ecological environment and better safeguarding people's health. Strengthen the awareness of the whole chain of governance, grasp one link at a time, and work for a long time, we will be able to better protect the rational drug use needs of the masses, and at the same time minimize waste.
People** 2024-02-19 05 Edition).