Quality use of medicines: where does pharmacology 'end'? Invited ASCEPT Lecture. Australasian Society of Clinic and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists.

1. Pharmacology can be defined very narrowly (e.g. as solely a laboratory based specialty) or more broadly to include issues surrounding rational drug use in the community. 2. While the hypothetio-deductive approach is more clearly in evidence in laboratory and clinical pharmacological experimentation, it is no less important in the comparatively less-well charted area of drug use in the community. 3. Just as laboratory pharmacology has built new partnerships with molecular biology and genetics, the exploration of community drug use brings pharmacologists into partnership with other disciplines (epidemiology, economics, behavioural science) and other sectors (consumers, government, health professionals and industry). 4. Implementing Australia's Quality Use of Medicines Policy (1992) has led to vigorous exploration of issues and problems in medicinal drug use in the community and much scientific study of causes and potential interventions to improve the situation. 5. The Australian National Prescribing Service (1998) is attempting to bring an evidence-based approach to the many facets of prescribing and drug use, by prescribers and consumers alike. 6. Innovation commonly occurs at the interface between the boundaries of traditional disciplines.