What should be updated in the WHO guide to good prescribing?
18 affiliations
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, unit Pharmacotherapy, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands. [email protected].
- 2Research and Expertise Centre in Pharmacotherapy Education (RECIPE), De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands. [email protected].
- 3Interprofessional Collaboration and Medication Safety, Faculty of Health, Sports and Social Work, InHolland University of Applied Sciences, Pina Bauschplein 4, Amsterdam, 1095 PN, The Netherlands. [email protected].
- 4Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, unit Pharmacotherapy, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands.
- 5Research and Expertise Centre in Pharmacotherapy Education (RECIPE), De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands.
- 6Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging Infections (PCCEI), University of Montpellier, INSERM, Avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud, Montpellier, 34090, France.
- 7Department of Fundamental and Applied Medical Sciences, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium.
- 8Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb and University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 12 Kišpatićeva St, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia.
- 9IRMB, University Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
- 10Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- 11Interprofessional Collaboration and Medication Safety, Faculty of Health, Sports and Social Work, InHolland University of Applied Sciences, Pina Bauschplein 4, Amsterdam, 1095 PN, The Netherlands.
- 12Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy.
- 13Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
- 14Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, 3584 CX, The Netherlands.
- 15Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- 16School of Medicine, Universidad de La Laguna, and Hospital Universitario de Canarias (SCS), Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Laguna, Tenerife, 38071, Spain.
- 17Department of Pharmacology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- 18Centre for Health Technology Assessment, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Abstract
Purpose
Over 30 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the Guide to Good Prescribing (GGP) with its accompanying six-step model for rational prescribing. While widely used and proven effective in teaching clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT), the GGP has never been revised to reflect scientific, societal, technological, and educational developments. The aim of this study was to explore which elements could be revised to actualize its content.Methods
CPT teachers experienced with the GGP were recruited from all six WHO regions. Six online nominal group technique sessions were conducted to elicit and prioritize ideas for revising the GGP. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach to capture participants' views on both content and optimal format of the renewed GGP.Results
Twenty-six participants shared136 ideas for the revision, grouped into three main areas: ideas about the usability, accessibility, and awareness of the GGP; ideas about the six-step framework; and ideas about background information or supplementary chapters. Suggestions for improving usability emphasized an interactive, digital platform for accessibility, continuous updates, and integrated resources. Regarding the six-step model, participants recommended retaining its structure while incorporating key considerations such as pharmacovigilance, shared decision-making, and deprescribing. Lastly, participants proposed supplementary information on topics such as therapeutic reasoning and special patient populations.Conclusion
Suggestions for revising the WHO GGP included integrating contemporary and societal prescribing considerations to enhance its relevance, educational impact and usability, thereby supporting safe and effective prescribing in modern clinical practice.
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BibTeX
@article{hartjes2026what,
title = {{What should be updated in the WHO guide to good prescribing?}},
author = {Mariëlle G Hartjes and Fleur M W Hendriksen and Michiel J Bakkum and Yoann Cazaubon and Erik M Donker and Ellen van Leeuwen and Robert Likic and Yves-Marie Pers and Tuan A Phan and Joost D Piët and Fabrizio De Ponti and Walter Raasch and Milan C Richir and Floor van Rosse and Jitka Rychlíčková and Emilio J Sanz and Markus Schwaninger and Susanna M Wallerstedt and Michiel A van Agtmael and Jelle Tichelaar},
journal = {European journal of clinical pharmacology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s00228-026-04198-1},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42873273},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - What should be updated in the WHO guide to good prescribing?
AU - Mariëlle G Hartjes
AU - Fleur M W Hendriksen
AU - Michiel J Bakkum
AU - Yoann Cazaubon
AU - Erik M Donker
AU - Ellen van Leeuwen
AU - Robert Likic
AU - Yves-Marie Pers
AU - Tuan A Phan
AU - Joost D Piët
AU - Fabrizio De Ponti
AU - Walter Raasch
AU - Milan C Richir
AU - Floor van Rosse
AU - Jitka Rychlíčková
AU - Emilio J Sanz
AU - Markus Schwaninger
AU - Susanna M Wallerstedt
AU - Michiel A van Agtmael
AU - Jelle Tichelaar
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - European journal of clinical pharmacology
DO - 10.1007/s00228-026-04198-1
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42873273
AB - Purpose Over 30 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the Guide to Good Prescribing (GGP) with its accompanying six-step model for rational prescribing. While widely used and proven effective in teaching clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT), the GGP has never been revised to reflect scientific, societal, technological, and educational developments. The aim of this study was to explore which elements could be revised to actualize its content.Methods CPT teachers experienced with the GGP were recruited from all six WHO regions. Six online nominal group technique sessions were conducted to elicit and prioritize ideas for revising the GGP. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach to capture participants' views on both content and optimal format of the renewed GGP.Results Twenty-six participants shared136 ideas for the revision, grouped into three main areas: ideas about the usability, accessibility, and awareness of the GGP; ideas about the six-step framework; and ideas about background information or supplementary chapters. Suggestions for improving usability emphasized an interactive, digital platform for accessibility, continuous updates, and integrated resources. Regarding the six-step model, participants recommended retaining its structure while incorporating key considerations such as pharmacovigilance, shared decision-making, and deprescribing. Lastly, participants proposed supplementary information on topics such as therapeutic reasoning and special patient populations.Conclusion Suggestions for revising the WHO GGP included integrating contemporary and societal prescribing considerations to enhance its relevance, educational impact and usability, thereby supporting safe and effective prescribing in modern clinical practice.
SN - 0031-6970
SN - 1432-1041
ER -