Accurate, balanced evidence-based information about medicines
About Quality Use of Medicines
Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) is one of the central objectives of Australia's National Medicines Policy.
QUM means:
- selecting management options wisely
- choosing suitable medicines if a medicine is considered necessary
- using medicines safely and effectively.
The definition of QUM applies equally to decisions about medicine use by individuals and decisions that affect the health of the population.
The term 'medicine' includes prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines and vitamin and mineral supplements, herbal and natural therapies medicines.
Simple examples of QUM in action include:
- taking ibuprofen with food, to reduce the risk of gastric ulceration from the medicine
- using a home movie of family activities to calm a person with dementia at the end of the day
- using a consumer medicines information sheet (CMI) when discussing a child’s medication regimen with a parent
- using tissues and handwashing to prevent the spread of common colds.
Why is QUM important?
Medicines are a part of most people’s lives. In any fortnight, around 7 in 10 Australians (and 9 in 10 older Australians) will have taken at least one medicine.1
While there is no doubt that taking medicines saves lives and is often the most cost-effective or convenient form of treatment, it is also well-established that some medicines are inappropriately prescribed and used.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and major and minor tranquillisers, for example, are currently over-used. On the other hand, medicines known to be effective for certain conditions are not being used as well as they could be, for example, medicines used for hypertension, heart failure and gastric ulcer.
There are other problems directly associated with medication use. Studies have shown that about 140,000 people are admitted to hospital every year as a result of problems with the use of medicines, including adverse reactions.2
In addition, Australia's expenditure on medicines from government spending on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) needs to reflect appropriate medicine use if we are to sustain a viable health system into the future. QUM is about ensuring that all Australians have equitable access to high quality, safe and effective medicines. It also relies on rational use of those medicines.
In Australia, various processes are in place to achieve better health outcomes through QUM. A National Medicines Policy has been developed, and for more than a decade, individuals have done valuable work in research and service delivery to promote QUM.
The National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) was established as the first national organisation to undertake work in QUM. Prior to our establishment, there was no mechanism for drawing together and building on the valuable QUM work that had been done in the past.
NPS was launched in March 1998, with funds provided by the Australian Government.
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