Defined Daily Doses (DDD)

[WAllen1]

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum...actually new to forums fullstop!

I was wondering whether anyone here has come across or has any experience using "Defined Daily Doses" (DDD) - this is term used by WHO - it is a value assigned to each drug within its recognised dosage range that represents the "assumed average adult maintenance dose of a drug per day used for it main indication".

I have designed a Formulary Audit and wanted to know if the above described method of assigning a drug an 'average' dosage (so that the raw data can be generated e.g. cost data etc.) is commonly used or at least heard of by those in the hospital pharmacy world.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated...

Many thanks,

WAllen

[johnep]

OK. Where are you based?
johnep

[WAllen1]

I'm based at an NHS hospital in the UK.

WAllen

[paul2008]

if I remember correctly it is used by some PCT's in comparing treatments and monitoring prescribing trends. Hospitals seem to be more interested in the acute stuff and often do not have overlapping formularies with the PCT's they serve resulting in confusion

[Scamp]

Try this link for info on different measures for prescribing, it should include an explanation of DDDs.

NHSBSA Prescription Services Payments & Pricing