In the 1990s, Australia was one of the few developed countries with a comprehensive national medicines policy, due in large part to a very strong consumer movement. At the core of this policy is the concept of quality use of medicines—medicines use that is judicious, appropriate, safe and effective.
NPS MedicineWise (formerly National Prescribing Service) began as an independent public company in March 1998. While largely funded by the Australian Government, we operated with an independent governance structure and member organisations representing the peak bodies for consumers, health professionals, the pharmaceutical sector, government and health care providers. This model allowed us to work in synergistic, connected and collaborative ways across the health sector to improve health outcomes.
Over the years, NPS MedicineWise developed a unique set of expertise, tools and networks that was internationally recognised and difficult to replicate. The resources and programs to support the safe and wise use of medicines have been valued by health professionals and consumers alike. The value and impact came from the trust and credibility built within the health sector, independence from any one health discipline, industry segment and government, and, most importantly, from placing consumers at the centre.
From the outset, NPS MedicineWise looked to the evidence and developed strong relationships with general practitioners around Australia. In 1999 NPS MedicineWise established an academic detailing program that would ultimately grow to a national network of educational visitors. In 24 years, over 480,000 educational visits were conducted by our national network of educational visitors who established trusted relationships in primary care, and in doing so, brought about positive differences to prescribing decisions. More recently, we developed and delivered programs for specialists and aged care audiences. The educational visiting service arguably changed the culture of education in primary care and displaced pharmaceutical industry sponsored events.
The first NPS News was published in 1998: this was then expanded to Medicinewise News, RADAR and Australian Prescriber which all became essential reading for health professionals.
From 2009, NPS MedicineWise extended its evidence-based approach to improving decision making around medicines and medical tests and other technologies. Our first medical test program—on imaging for low back pain—rolled out nationally in 2010 and subsequently thousands of health professionals participated in our medical test programs.
Medimate was launched in 2004 as a paper-based resource to help consumers understand and ask questions about their medicines. The same concepts were encapsulated in the MedicineWise App.
Launched in 2015, Choosing Wisely Australia—facilitated by NPS MedicineWise and led by Australia’s medical colleges and societies—encouraged a national conversation and provided a catalyst for reducing low-value health care in Australia.
The MedicineInsight primary care clinical data program provided valuable insights into primary health care. Insights from the data enhance our programs for general practice, provide post-marketing surveillance of medicines, and support policy makers, regulators and health service providers to develop evidence-based health policy and achieve optimal patient outcomes.
We offered a wide range of online courses for students and health professionals attracting thousands of participants each year.
Since the publication of the first evaluation report in 1999, our programs were rigorously evaluated with our evaluation framework. We were able to measure health outcomes and effectiveness, while continuing to demonstrate changes in drug and medical test utilisation in line with quality use.
‘NPS MedicineWise is one of the very few independent, unbiased sources of information available to health practitioners. I turn to NPS MedicineWise for my own education and I also rely on the NPS MedicineWise resources to educate medical students regarding safe and ethical use of medicines’
‘Unlike most other sources of information regarding medication, the NPS MedicineWise resources consider the holistic management of health rather than focussing on pharmacotherapy alone’
‘NPS MedicineWise is my go-to objective, balanced and credible medical information site that I rely upon to keep me up to date’