The Belgian Centre for Pharmacotherapeutic Information

(BCFI/CBIP)

Thierry ChristiaensGhent University

& BCFI/CBIP

The Belgian Context

• 11 million inhabitants, 42.000 physicians, 5000 public pharmacies

• open drug market: ± 2500 different drugs available and ± 3000 drug representatives

• limited access to practice-oriented evidence based information

• A lot of “partners” in a complicated country (3 languages, 2 communities, 3 regions, national and regional health policies)

BCFI/CBIP:What? Mission?

• “Non-profit, non-governmental organisation providing independent information on drugs and promoting Rational Prescribing,intended to health professionals”

AIMS• COMBINATION OF

– Information– Education– Warning (pharmacovigilance)– Service (prescription modalities, availability…)

Target population

• All physicians and pharmacists in Belgium • also dentists for some publications

Tools /instruments

• Commented Drug Repertory: GGR / RCM• Folia Pharmacotherapeutica• Transparantiefiches/Fiches de Transparence• WEBSITE www.bcfi.be / www.cbip.be• Folia express

Commented Drug Repertory

• Hard copy once/year to all physicians, pharmacists, dentists, students in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing

• “Standard” for Belgian professionals • On-line version: up-to-date GGR/RCM

drug database + applications: prices, “cheap” medication, ATC, reimbursement status, “doping” list status, …

• PLANNED more direct instructions on dosage, interactions…

Folia Pharmacotherapeutica• Monthly to physicians & pharmacists >65.000

in French and Dutch by post + electronic version

• ISDB journal• COMBINING: “Journal Club” function with+ Thematic updates (travel health, drugs in

pregnacy, anticoagulation)+ Pharmacovigilance information+ Drug policy information• “Folia for dentists” planned

Transparency “Brochures”

• Transparantiefiches/Fiches de Transparence(TFT)• Aim: comparing different drugs used for the same

indication, with emphazis on cost (financial and harms) /benefit (on hard end-points, NNT )

• Fixed procedure and structure• Published: Migraine*, Diabetes type 2, Mycosis,

Alzheimer*, Herpes Zoster*, Gout, Anxiety*, Atrial Fibrillation, Stable Angina Pectoris, ADHD, Hay Fever, Prostatism, Sec Prev post CVA/ + Smoking Cessation, Obesity (in collab.with KCE)

• * also used for academic detailing

TFT: Procedures and Structure.• As primary sources: RCT-based data in

– Clinical Evidence, Cochrane Collaboration, HT– International Society of Drug Bulletins-journals – journal clubs EBMJ, ACPJC, Minerva – last 5 years of 6 top medical journals (BMJ, JAMA,

Lancet, NEJM, Arch. & Annals Int.Med)• Information is compared with national and

international guidelines and expert opinion• Non-pharmacological therapy+ Pharmacological

therapy: comparison with placebo and inter-drug comparison

• Comparison of side-effects and prices

Website

• www.bcfi.be (Dutch) OR www.cbip.be (French): GGR/RCM , Folia Pharmacotherapeutica and TFT

• Free and Rapid • User friendly• Reimbursment criteria + price comparisons• Complete + Updated each month

• & Folia express+“Goed om weten/Bien à savoir”e-mail alerts with “hot news” on drugs coming from

medical and lay journals

www.bcfi.be or www.cbip.be

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Projects

• Making the information available for the general public, adapted to their needs, as a tool for communication with professionals

• Implementing the TF in CME, physician-pharmacist meetings and academic detailing projects

Thank you