Clinical pharmacology and primary health care in Europe--a gap to bridge. The WHO Working Group on Clinical Pharmacology in Europe.

A group of senior European clinical pharmacologists presents a position paper on the possible role of clinical pharmacology (CP) in bridging the gap between academic drug evaluation and drug prescribing in primary health care (PHC). As a teaching, research and service discipline CP has developed in academic or other major hospitals while 80% of all drugs are prescribed in PHC. CP therefore has to extend its functions to PHC. Examples are given of how joint ventures between clinical pharmacologists and PHC physicians may improve the quality of drug research and increase the clinical relevance of drug information in PHC, thereby contributing towards rational drug utilization in PHC. Colleagues in PHC are invited to respond to this call for collaboration.