The Finnish database on drug utilisation
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This article describes main sources of data used to study drug utilisation in Finland. National health
interview studies have been used for this since 1964. Sales statistics are based on information from
wholesalers, and the Nordic ATC/DDD methodology is availed in order to make the numbers comparable
with the other countries. The most important database is a national prescription register, which exists since
1994 and includes all reimbursed medication purchases. The data were originally collected for administrative
purposes, but they provide useful material also for pharmaco-epidemiological and -economic research.
Key words : Drug utilisation, prescription register, health interview surveys, sales statisticsThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.