First-ever Students’ Formulary from Colombo Med Fac
To aid proper prescribing and rational use of drugs and prevent medication errors
Poisons and medications! They are one and the same, with only one major difference – poisons become medications only with proper prescribing and rational use.
To aid proper prescribing and rational use, a team at the Department of Pharmacology of the Colombo Medical Faculty, in a first in the country and most probably in all of Asia as well, has come up with The Sri Lanka Students’ Formulary (SLSF).
It was at a simple ceremony in the Boardroom of the hallowed Colombo Medical Faculty amidst a distinguished gathering that the birth of the SLSF, after a hard labour of about eight years, was witnessed on July 30.
Those at the head-table were the Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe; the Director of the Medical Supplies Division (MSD), Dr. Lal Panapitiya; the Dean of the Colombo Medical Faculty, Prof. Jennifer Perera; and Professor in Pharmacology, Prof. Kusum de Abrew, while in the audience were the Emeritus Professor in Pharmacology, Prof. Laal Jayakody and the former Professor of Pharmacology, Prof. Krishantha Weerasuriya.
Hailing it a red-letter day, Prof. Perera commended the Colombo Medical Faculty’s Department of Pharmacology, involving both academic and non-academic staff, for launching such an important initiative.
Comprising “exhaustive” information, she said it was a “uniquely’ Sri Lankan publication, as much research has gone into what should be included in it. It is not copied from other formularies, but is based on “evidence of our use of drugs”.
“You made it possible,” said Prof. Perera, adding that it will help ensure the safety of patients by preventing medication errors as the SLSF will give guidance on appropriate prescribing.
Pointing out that studies have indicated that when new interns take over, there is an increase of morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) among patients, she reiterated that the SLSF will help reduce medication errors.
Prof. Perera urged that a follow-up should be conducted once the SLSF is in use to show its benefits to the world. It should also be reviewed, with the feedback, both positive and negative, being included. There should be future editions, adding on new drugs and their side-effects etc., or at least, the SLSF should be edited and updated at least once in three years.
The Head of the Department of Pharmacology of the Colombo Medical Faculty, Prof. Shalini Sri Ranganathan reiterated that there are no safe medications only safe prescriptions.
“We (medical faculties) create the doctors who then work in the Health Department,” she said, pointing out that there is a lot of irrational prescribing. She urged the Director-General of Health Services to set in motion an internal audit system to curb this.
“All drugs are poisons. It is the dosage which makes the difference – between a poison and a medication,” Prof. Sri Ranganathan stressed.
Requesting students to use the SLSF, Prof. Laal Jayakody said that it is a first in this part of the world. “We need to catch the students young and ingrain in them rational prescribing,” he said, adding that it is not just a formulary but also comprises pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
The President of the Medical Faculty Students’ Union, Damitha Liyanaarachchi also spoke.