Patient Compliance

"Patient compliance is a multidimensional, multinational, and multidisease problem." So says a contributor who heads the Medical Science Institute, USA. Failure to take medicines in a prescribed manner are a costly matter in terms of human and economic costs, according to Davis (editor, Pharmaceutical Physician journal; a pharmaceutical industry consultant) and Kermani (PhD, immunopharmacology; European marketing manager for a pharmaceutical company). International contributors to 14 chapters treat compliance in the prevention and treatment of specific diseases including cardiovascular disease; provide a nationalized healthcare system perspective; and present strategies promoting compliance, e.g., field-based professionals, interactive communications technology, and greater patient involvement in decision-making. Tables and figures represent compliance trends, barriers, costs, and specific strategies. Distributed by Ashgate. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Dr Madhu Davies is a consultant in pharmaceutical medicine, and Editor of Pharmaceutical Physician journal. She joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1993 following several years' clinical experience. Dr Faiz Kermani has several years experience in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry. He has worked in pharmaceutical R&D, pricing and reimbursement, marketing and medical education. He holds a PhD in Immunopharmacology from St. Thomas' Hospital, London and a First Class Honours degree in Pharmacology with Toxicology from King's College, London. He has written extensively on international healthcare issues, and is on the editorial board of a number of publications. In March 2006, he was a delegate on the UK Government's Trade and Investment Biotech Scoping Mission to China and contributed to the subsequent report.