the pharmaceutical file (DP) has today become the best ally for healthcare professionals to monitor the use of a drug but also to report any problem such as an adverse reaction or a health alert. For example, it is thanks to the pharmaceutical file system that the boxes of Furosemide were withdrawn from sale last June following a suspected packaging error. Today, 98% of French pharmacies are connected to the pharmaceutical file system, which makes it possible to be very responsive in the event of a health alert. The national order of pharmacists recalled Wednesday, September 18 the different uses of the pharmaceutical file during a press conference.
– The pharmaceutical-patient file: It gathers, for each beneficiary of health insurance who wishes it, all the drugs (prescribed or advised by a pharmacist) that have been dispensed to him during the last 4 months. The data is anonymous.
Thanks to the PD, the pharmacist can check that certain drugs are not duplicating or that there is no risk of dangerous interactions. In addition, if the patient is hospitalized, doctors can also access the history of the medications he is taking.
– The pharmaceutical-alert file: Since July 2010, the National Order of Pharmacists can issue a health alert (Directorate General of Health, National Medicines Safety Agency, etc.) in a few minutes to all pharmacies connected to the DP, in metropolitan France or in the overseas departments. The system operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Over the past 12 months, 30 alerts have been issued, including supply difficulties of Levothyrox for example.
– The pharmaceutical recall file: Since November 2011, recalls and withdrawals of batches of medication have been sent to pharmacies via the DP portal, in the same way as for sending health alerts. Pharmacists, thus informed in real time, can immediately withdraw the drugs concerned from sale. This device, carried out with the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (ANSM) and the operating laboratories, operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is for example this system that was used for the recall of boxes of Furosemide.
– The pharmaceutical file-health follow-up: it allows the Ministry of Health, ANSM and the Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) to access, for public health reasons, anonymous data from PDs. For example, this device was used during the crisis of 3rd and 4th generation contraceptive pills.
– The pharmaceutical-break-up file: in the pilot phase, DP-Rupture makes it possible to pass the flow of information between the actors concerned in order to more easily find solutions for the treatment of patients. 300 pharmacists have been experimenting with it since August 26, 2013, for a period of two months. The following are concerned: pharmacies, hospital pharmacists, wholesalers-distributors, laboratories. As well as the health authorities, the regional health agencies (ARS) and the ANSM.
