Pharmaceutical Practice and Policy

Pharmaceutical policy is a field which deals with the development, use and provision of medications within a healthcare system. It encompasses biologics, drugs, vaccines and natural health products. Patent laws apply to all pharmaceutical products. Thus, the interpretations of these made by government patent granting agencies can have significant impacts on the incentive to drug development. These also have consequences on the availability of lower-priced generic drugs. Another important dimension of pharmaceutical practice is licensing. A recognized national agency is mostly responsible for reviewing a product and approving its sale. Quality, safety and efficacy are the chief determinants of drug regulation. Once the safety and clinical benefits of a product have been established and its pricing has been determined, a drug manufacturer submits it for evaluation by a payer. This book provides comprehensive insights into pharmaceutical policy and practice. It outlines the varied aspects of pharmaceutical regulation, legal issues and administrative dimensions of pharmaceutical practice in detail. As this field is constantly evolving, the contents of this book will help the readers understand the modern concepts and developments in this domain.