Evaluation of drug use in Jordan using WHO prescribing indicators.

Patterns of prescribing and use of pharmaceuticals by physicians and patients in Jordan have not previously been studied. We retrospectively evaluated pharmaceutical drug prescribing practices in 21 primary health care facilities in Irbid governorate, northern Jordan using World Health Organization-recommended core indicators. The mean number of drugs prescribed was 2.3 overall, ranging from 1.9 to 3.0. The percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was very low, as was the percentage of prescriptions involving injections. The percentages of prescriptions involving antibiotics and drugs from the essential drugs list averaged 60.9% and 93% respectively. We conclude that the prescribing and use of drugs in Jordan requires rationalization, particularly the over-prescribing of antibiotics and the under-prescribing of generic drugs.