What is the primary purpose of drug formularies in healthcare?

The primary purpose of drug formularies in healthcare is to ensure safe medication use and guide prescribing. Formularies serve as curated lists of medications that are approved for use within a healthcare system, such as a hospital or insurance network. These lists help healthcare providers make informed decisions when prescribing medications and ensure that they select options that have been evaluated for safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness.

By establishing guidelines for preferred and non-preferred drugs, formularies facilitate standardized care, improve patient outcomes, and help minimize potential medication errors. Additionally, they often include essential criteria for evaluating medications, which ensures that only those that have been rigorously assessed for clinical use are included. This promotes better therapeutic practices and supports both clinicians in their prescribing habits and pharmacists in dispensing medications appropriately.

While patient education and the promotion of over-the-counter medications are valuable aspects of healthcare, they are secondary to the main function of formularies. Additionally, formularies do not aim to eliminate generic medications, as generics often play a crucial role in providing cost-effective treatment options; rather, they may favor generics when appropriate to manage overall medication costs while ensuring patient safety.