Affiliations: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Chemical Sciences.
National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina | Pharmaceutical Care Area, Faculty of Biochemical and
Pharmaceutical Sciencies, National University of Rosario, Rosario,
Argentina
Note: [] Corresponding author: S.D. Palma, Haya de la Torre y Medina
Allende, Ciudad Universitaria Edificio Ciencias II, X5000HUA, Córdoba,
Argentina. Tel./Fax: +54 351 5353865 53356; E-mail: sdpalma@fcq. unc.edu.ar;
Internet: http://www.fcq.unc.edu.ar
Abstract: The use of medicines out of the technical specifications or
off-label use is legal and a common medical practice all around the world.
However, there is a lack of unanimity of criteria and specific regulations
about this special situation in a lot of countries. This lack of clear regulation of this particular situation, with strong ethical implications, may
involve greater risks to the population and worse health outcomes. The aim of this article is to present a theoretical framework about the problem of
off-label use of drugs with particular emphasis on the situation Argentina and
the example of the use of Bevacizumab in the treatment of Neovascular
Age-Related Macular Degeneration. The role of pharmacist may be crucial
ensuring the correct use of medicines, and his intervention generate benefits
for both the patient and the institutions in an interdisciplinary approach to
pharmacotherapy.
