DOHA: The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has launched the Qatar National Formulary (QNF), an online platform that allows physicians, clinical staff and the public to access the latest prescribing information on more than 4,800 medicines available in the country. The information is now available online and via a mobile application. It can be accessed by visiting www.qnf.qa
“Enabling clinical staff to access the latest essential drug information is a significant step in supporting evidence based best practice for patient care,” said Dr Salih Ali Al Marri, SCH Assistant Secretary General for Medical Affairs.
QNF is intended to save time and costs involved in prescribing, dispensing and administrating approved drugs in accordance with national regulations and to ensure medicines are administered and used safely and accurately in a range of health settings, he added. Dr Aisha Al Ansari, Director of the Pharmacy and Drug Control Department and responsible for the Formulary delivery said that the platform offers transparency on the availability of medications to help reduce errors, confusion and support faster decision making.
“With an app format such as this, the medical community will not need Internet access because once the application is downloaded, they will have access to the QNF wherever they may be delivering care,” said Dr Al Ansari.
The general public also has access to QNF but this is not intended to replace face-to-face prescribing or consultations, said Al Ansari.
“ Patients and interested public who wish to gain a greater knowledge of medicines can do so via the website and app but we always recommend they consult a medical professional to obtain proper clinical guidance and advice on medicines.
“The platform is however seen as an important tool to empower the public to research and become more actively involved in their health and wellness,” she said.
Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director of Hamad Medical Corporation said this important tool will help doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to have easier access to the same information when they research and select safe and effective medicines for individual patients.
Dr Mariam Abdulmalik, Managing Director of Primary Healthcare Corporation (PHCC) said that the PHCC family medicine model and primary care patients will greatly benefit by receiving high quality and accurate information on medicines in an efficient time.
Dr Mohammad Issam Diab, Assistant Professor and Associate Dean, Academic Affairs at Qatar University said that, for the college of pharmacy and other medical programs at Qatar University, the QNF will be considered as an important part of the educational process and clinical practice later after graduation.
QNF features a medication guide that reports on adverse effects of medicines. QNF has a facility of online reporting of adverse drug reaction (pharmacovigilance process) as member of World Health Organisation-UMC.
It also allows the site to get information for thousands of drugs during search operations that can be made available to patients, to serve as a point of evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of poisoning or exposure to chemicals.
The Peninsula
