Line III: Medicines and Society

Medicines have enormous impact on the people and societies that use them. Before new medicinal compounds can be approved for the Danish market, their efficacy and safety must be documented in clinical trials. Both patients and society have an interest in getting the most effective, safest and cheapest drugs from manufacturers to users. Next, the optimal use of the drugs is essential in order to avoid overuse, misuse or other irrational use. Information and communication are vital factors here. 

The Medicines and Society line provides the opportunity for various professional profiles, such as:

- focuses on investigating under controlled conditions the effect of drugs on healthy research subjects and on groups of patients. The controlled clinical trial is the gold standard for this process and provides the basic documentation for the efficacy and adverse effect profile of a drug. 

- focuses on setting registration strategies as well as on guiding and coordinating drug development. The regulatory authorities set stringent requirements to the efficacy and quality of medicines, and before a new medicinal product is approved, companies must document that their product meets these many requirements. Regulatory Affairs is responsible for submitting documentation and for the communication between the authorities and companies. 

- focuses on the position of medicines in society, with regard to use, economy and healthcare policy. The perspectives of both patients and of the healthcare services on the use of drugs are central. Key topics are marketing, economics, distribution, communication, compliance (the extent to which patients follow the instructions given), monitoring (control and supervision), and the individualization of drug use.