THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Circular No.  21/2013/TT-BYT dated August 08, 2013 of the Ministry of Health regulating the organization and operation of the Drug and Treatment Council in hospitals
Pursuant to the Decree No. 63/2012/ND-CP, dated August 31, 2012 Government defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;
At the proposal of Director of the Medical Examination and Treatment Management Department;
The Minister of Health promulgates the Circular regulating the organization and operation of the Drug and Treatment Council in hospitals,
Chapter 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1. Scope of adjustment
This Circular prescribes organization and operation of the Drug and Treatment Council in hospitals (hereinafter called the Council).
Article 2. Interpretation of terms
1. ABC analyzing is method of correlation analyzing between quantity of drugs consumed every year and cost with the aim to define drugs occupying big proportion in drug budget of hospital.
2. VEN analyzing means method to define priority for drug procurement and storage in hospital when funding is not enough for purchase of entire drugs of all kinds as wishes. In VEN analyzing, drugs are divided into 3 items specifying as follows:
a) V drugs (Vital drugs) – means drugs used in cases of first-aid or important drugs which necessarily must have to serve the medical examination and treatment of hospitals.
b) E drugs (Essential drugs) – means drugs used in cases of diseases with importance less than but still be important diseases in disease model of hospitals.
c) N drugs (Non-essential drugs) - means drugs used in cases of mild diseases, diseases which patient may recover natural, may include drug kinds of which  treatment efficiencies have not  yet been affirmed clearly or high prices not correspond to clinical benefit of drugs.
3. Defined dose daily means average dose maintained daily with main indications of a drug.
4. Rational drug use means drug use satisfying clinical requirement of patient at appropriate dose on each patient individual (right dose, right duration of giving drug and time of drug use), meeting requirements on quality, ability of provision and appropriate prices aiming to reduce the lowest expense level for patients and community.
Chapter 2
COUNCIL’S FUNCTIONS AND TASKS
Article 3. Functions
The Council has function of consulting director of hospital about matters involving drugs and treatment by drugs of hospitals, good implementation of national dug policy in hospital.  
Article 4. Pprovisions on drug management and use in hospital
The Council supplies specific provisions about:
1. Criteria to select drugs for issuing list of hospital drugs
2. Selection of guides on treatment (treatment regimens) to serve as basis for issue of list of drugs;
3. Process and criteria to supplement or remove drugs from list of hospital drugs;
4. Criteria to select drugs in bidding for drug purchase;
5. Process of drug allocation from the Pharmacy Division to the patients aiming to ensure that drugs are used properly and safely;
6. Selection of some drugs not stated in list of hospital drugs in case of arising these drugs due to demand of treatment;
7. Limitation of use of some drugs with big value or drugs with serious-adverse reactions, drugs belonging to doubts on treatment efficiency or safety; 
8. Use of proprietary medicines and alternative drugs in treatment;
9. Process of supervising use of drugs at clinical departments;
10. Management and supervision of activities of drug information provision of medical representatives, pharmacy companies and documents of drug advertisement.