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This study is intended to set the criteria for the classification of prescription and non-prescription drugs, and classify hospital pharmacy formulations according to the criteria. 717 hospital pharmacy formulations were collected ken the Center for review and evaluation of health insurance, and national provincial offices. Hospital pharmacy formulations were evaluated based on the ’’Guidelines on the Hospital Pharmacy Formulations (Notification No. 2000-46)’’by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Drug classification advisory committee was composed of twelve medical and pharmaceutical specialists, and suggested opinions on the drug classification. Among 717 formulations, 651 drugs (90.8%) satisfied the basic conditions for the hospital pharmacy formulations. 312 formulations (43.5%) were classified as drugs for the disinfection and tests. For the rest of them, 231 formulations were classified as prescription drugs whereas 108 drugs were as non-prescription drugs. 56 non-prescription drugs were included as hospital formulations, because there were no therapeutic alternatives. Iu sum 599 drugs (83.5%) were suggested as hospital pharmacy formulations. The study also recommends pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs of limited commercial value, and doctors to change their unique prescribing behavior in order to prevent the abuse of hospital pharmacy formulations.
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