The task of each doctor is not only to assess the patient’s condition and, based on the symptoms, to establish the correct diagnosis, but also to correctly determine the medication that will help to cope with the disease. To quickly find the right drug, an international standard for the methodology of all known medicines, ATX (ATC), was created. The international classification of medicines sounds like the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System. The system is founded by the World Health Organization.
System purpose
The main purpose of the system is to improve the quality of drug treatment and its availability in different countries. For this purpose, statistics on the characteristics of the consumption of drugs are kept all over the world, and all research data are accumulated in the ATX system. The classification of drugs is based on the separation of drugs by their active component. All drugs with one active substance and a similar therapeutic effect are assigned a single membership code.
A medication can have several codes if it has different forms of release with different concentrations of the active component. All medicines are divided into groups, which are identified in the code by lettering and Arabic numerals. This allows code specialists to determine the affiliation and therapeutic effect of any medication registered in the system. The Classification of Medicines (ATX) provides one code for one drug, even if there are equally important indications. The decision on which testimony should be considered primary is taken by the WHO working group.
Inclusion criteria
Manufacturers, research institutions and drug control agencies are applying for drug data. The following is the procedure for introducing a new article into the system. Not all drugs are included in the ATX. The drug classification does not contain data on combination preparations, with the exception of substances with a fixed combination of active components, such as b-adrenergic receptor blockers and diuretics. Also, traditional medicine aids and drugs that do not pass the license do not fall into the system.
Warnings
The classification of drugs (ATX) cannot be considered as a recommendation for use or an assessment of the effectiveness of a drug. Drug treatment should be prescribed by a specialist.