The task of each doctor is not only to assess the patient's condition and, based on the symptoms, establish the correct diagnosis, but also to correctly determine the medication that will help to cope with the disease that has arisen. To quickly find the right drug, an international standard for the methodology of all known medicines, ATC (ATC), was created. Classification of medicines at the international level sounds like "Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System". The system was founded by the World He alth Organization.
Purpose of the system
The main purpose of the system is to improve the quality of medical treatment and its availability in different countries. For this purpose, statistics are kept all over the world on the characteristics of the consumption of drugs, and all research data are accumulated in the ATC system. The classification of medicines is based on the division of medicines according to their active ingredient. All drugs with one active substance and similar therapeuticaction assigns one ownership code.
A drug can have several codes if it has different forms of release with different concentrations of the active ingredient. All medicines are divided into groups, which are defined in the code by letters and Arabic numerals. This allows code specialists to determine the ownership and therapeutic effect of any drug registered in the system. The Classification of Medicines (ATC) provides one code for one drug, even if there are equally important indications. The decision on which indication should be considered the main one is taken by the WHO working group.
Criteria for inclusion in the system
Manufacturers, research institutes and drug control agencies apply for drug data entry. The following is the procedure for introducing a new article into the system. Not all drugs are included in the ATC. The classification of medicines does not contain data on combined preparations, with the exception of substances with a fixed combination of active ingredients, such as β-adrenergic blockers and diuretics. Also, the system does not include traditional medicine adjuvants and drugs that have not passed the license.
Cautions
Classification of drugs (ATC) cannot be considered as a recommendation for use or an assessment of the effectiveness of a particular drug. Medical treatment should be prescribed by a specialist.
