Drug and Therapeutics Committees Fact Sheet

What is a DTC?
The Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC), or its equivalent, is an essential component of a health care organization's drug selection and use program. This committee evaluates the clinical use of drugs, develops policies for managing drug use and administration, and manages the formulary system. The committee has broad responsibilities in determining which drugs will be available, at what cost, and how they will be used.

Why should countries have DTCs?
Many countries spend 30 to 40 percent of their health care budgets on drugs, much of which is wasted-on chemically ineffective, unsafe, or inappropriate drugs, irrational drug use, or inefficiencies in procurement and distribution of drugs. Other serious problems faced by health care organizations include the overuse of antibiotics, increasing antimicrobial resistance, and adverse drug reactions. DTCs can provide the leadership and structure needed to select appropriate drugs for the formulary, promote rational drug use, and reduce waste, thereby optimizing drug expenditures and helping to improve patient outcomes.

What does a DTC do?
The functions of a DTC are numerous and may vary with the country and the size of the health program or care facility. The most important functions are-

• Advising medical, administrative, and pharmacy departments on drug-related issues
• Developing drug policies and procedures
• Evaluating and selecting drugs for the formulary and making periodic revisions
• Assessing drug use to identify potential problems
• Promoting and conducting effective interventions to improve drug use (including educational, managerial, and regulatory methods)
• Managing the system to minimize the impact of adverse drug reactions and medication errors

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