The National Research Strategy for Rational Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Services has been published

The Research Network for Rational Pharmacotherapy (RATTI) published its Research Strategy for Rational Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Services on Thursday 5 December 2024. The new research strategy is based on the Research Strategy for Rational Pharmacotherapy published in 2018, which was prepared as part of the Finnish Government's Rational Pharmacotherapy Action Plan. The RATTI network's working group was responsible for updating the research strategy, with representatives from the University of Helsinki, the University of Eastern Finland, HUS Pharmacy, Kela, wellbeing services counties and Fimea. 

The updating of the research strategy was based on research carried out during the previous strategy period and changes in the operating environment. As a part of the update, the Research Strategy for Medical Information and the Research Strategy for Medication Safety in Outpatient Treatment (VALO) were taken into account. The Research Strategy for Rational Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Services was also made publicly available for commenting in October 2024. In connection with the update, the name of the research strategy was also updated when pharmaceutical services were integrated into the strategy. 

Research strategy envisions evidence-informed decision-making 

Quality Manager Hanna Tolonen from HUS Pharmacy presented the vision and objectives of the research strategy. The vision presented in the strategy is that research on rational pharmacotherapy and pharmaceutical services will be systematic and respond to the identified needs of medicine users and the health and social services system The aim is to use research data in the development of the service system and services, impact-based steering and political decision-making 

Three objectives were included in the research strategy: 

1. Research and development activities related to rational pharmacotherapy are increasingly a part of the operation of the health and social services system. Integrated research and development work is carried out in cooperation between various operators in service chains, educational institutions, higher education institutions, organisations, authorities and research institutes. 
2. Research is effective, correctly targeted and proactive. 
3. The research in the key research areas presented in the research strategy, resources allocated for research, and the usability of data are strengthened. 

Research topics are related to structures, processes and use of pharmaceutical services and pharmacotherapy

Research topics and changes in the operating environment of the updated strategy were reported by Head of Research Leena Saastamoinen from Fimea and Senior Researcher Terhi Kurko from Kela's research department. Three key topics were identified in the Research Strategy for Rational Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Services, which were specified by the following research themes:

1. The research themes related to structures and operational preconditions focus on e.g. pharmaceutical services in various health and social services environments, the pharmacotherapy competencies of health and social services professionals as a foundation for rational pharmacotherapy, and information systems in the implementation of rational pharmacotherapy. 
2. The research themes related to the promotion of medication safety focus on research in the health and social services operating environment, the pharmacotherapy process and the users of medicines in the implementation of pharmacotherapy.
3. The themes of effectiveness in the use of medicines and pharmacotherapy, which consist of e.g. the use and affordability of medicines, economic evaluation and effectiveness. 

At the end of the event, University Researcher Johanna Timonen from the University of Eastern Finland talked about the future steps of the Research Network for Rational Pharmacotherapy. The network aims to organise a discussion event with the wellbeing services counties with the purpose of promoting cooperation between the wellbeing services counties and the network and disseminating and implementing research data in practice. The composition of the RATTI network's working group will also be updated for the next term of 2025–2027. 

Read more:

Research Strategy for Rational Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Services 2025–2029 (Julkari, in Finnish with English abstract)

The research strategy will be published in English in January 2025.