The highlight of this week is that I finally got access to my data! This means that I begin my research project. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am looking at prescribing of the “4-C” antibiotics : Co-amoxiclav (i.e. augmentin), Cephalosporins, Ciprofloxacin (Quinolones), and Clindamycin. These antibiotics can be associated with higher levels of hospital associated infections, so it’s important to regulate their use and try to promote minimizing their use. I had fun getting trained on a new software system and starting to look into my research question.
I also had the opportunity to travel to Glasgow again and observe the New Drugs Committee Meeting (Similar but not exactly like the FDA of Scotland). This was really interesting because as part of the Scottish Medicines Consortium, the NDC reviews all the current literature pertaining to a drug’s safety and efficacy and does a cost-effectiveness analysis on the medication. The group of experts in pharmacy, pharmacoepidemiology, and health economics then meet to discuss whether the drug should be approved for use within Scotland. This approach is so different from the system in the US, where we will let whoever can pay for a medication receive it. In Scotland, on the other hand, drug companies have to prove that the benefit of the drug is worth the extra money that it costs. This is a pretty simplified version of what they do, so if you are interested to learn more, you can read about it here.
Also, while I think I still prefer Edinburgh, it was fun to explore Scotland’s largest city (Glasgow) and see some of its unique architecture.
No comments:
Post a Comment