EGA Press Release

Thursday, 02 April 1998

FIRST EGA AWARD GOES TO DUTCH FOUNDATION

LONDON. The European Generic medicines Association (EGA) announced here today that it will present the first EGA Annual Generic medicines Award to the Dutch Institute for Effective Use of Medication (DGV) of the Netherlands, during the Association’s conference in London on April 2.

The award, consisting of a cash prize of 4,000 ECU, a certificate of achievement and a sculpture, will be presented to the Dutch foundation for its exemplary role in implementing the broad-based Pharmacotherapeutic Counselling Group (FTO) project among general practitioners and pharmacists.

The EGA Award is intended as a mark of honour, encouraging and supporting efforts in the areas of research, publications and public service in the field of classic medicines. The prize is sponsored by Pharmachemie, one of Europe’s leading generic medicines industries.

The DGV’s activities, aimed at stimulating the rational prescription of generic medicines, includes advisory support for more than 800 pharmacotherapeutic counselling groups in the Netherlands. The groups meet regularly to exchange information about drug therapy and work towards effective local guidelines and the analysis of prescribing behaviour.

The Institute DGV, an independent, non-profit organization subsidized by the Dutch Ministry of Health, began implementation of the FTO project in 1994, after the Netherlands had established a system of reference prices. Since then, sixteen of the Foundation’s specially trained pharmacotherapy consultants have been instrumental in setting up regional networks and supporting local counseling groups.

To provide objective information about the rational and effective use of medication, the DGV’s drug information team also gives presentations for groups of patients and consumers. This team consists of six pharmacists and physicians and three communications consultants, who provide information complementary to that given by doctors and pharmacists.

More on the EGA Award

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