Organizations Unite to Increase the Appropriate Use of Medications in Canada

A new coalition, announced today, unites 11 organizations that are working collectively to improve the appropriate prescribing and use of medications in Canada.

Initially formed in 2023, the Appropriate Use Coalition is a grassroots group comprised of health care organizations and public representation that is committed to improving patient outcomes and reducing risks through appropriate prescribing. ​

The focus of the Appropriate Use Coalition is to share information and evidence, reduce duplication among different appropriate use programs across the country, and collaborate on key projects to achieve more together than could alone.

The Appropriate Use Coalition is comprised of 11 pan-Canadian health care organizations with expertise across various aspects of appropriate use, including policy, evaluation, implementation, clinical support, and education.

• Canadian Institute for Health Information
• Canadian Pharmacists Association
• Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network
• Centre for Effective Practice
• Choosing Wisely Canada
• The College of Family Physicians of Canada
• deprescribing.org
• Healthcare Excellence Canada
• ISMP Canada
• Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada
• RxFiles

The Appropriate Use Coalition is chaired by Dr. Wendy Levinson, Chair of Choosing Wisely Canada and Choosing Wisely International and Dr. Emily McDonald, who is also Director of the Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network. Canada’s Drug Agency serves as the Coalition’s secretariat, providing planning and administrative support to the Appropriate Use Coalition and its 2 subgroups. Improving the appropriate prescribing and use of medications is part of the expanded mandate of Canada’s Drug Agency, as announced in December 2023.

What Is Appropriate Use?

Appropriate use refers to people taking medications best suited for their needs and goals, and to medications that provide the greatest possible benefit and avoids potential harm. The appropriate use of medications should add value to patients, their community, the health system, and the broader environment.    

What Is the Coalition Working On?

The Appropriate Use Coalition will have 2 subgroups dedicated to appropriate use efforts in long-term care and primary care. The long-term care subgroup is addressing the potentially inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications in long-term care, and the primary care subgroup is coordinating the sharing of resources on antimicrobial resistance in primary care.

Key activities in the long-term care subgroup include:

• Establishing an appropriate rate of antipsychotic use in long-term care homes. Choosing Wisely Canada will lead this work and Canada’s Drug Agency and will help support clinicians working in this area who are striving to deliver safe and high-quality care to people living in long-term care homes.
• Championing Healthcare Excellence Canada’s Sparking Change in the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics Program. This quality improvement program supports long-term care homes through access to webinars, coaching sessions, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, curated tools, and monetary awards.  
• Supporting the development of resources led by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada), including tools for Strengthening Medication Safety in Long-Term Care such as the “Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics Handbook for LTC.” This initiative is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care.

The primary care subgroup is developing a communications strategy to share resources about antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Throughout this respiratory virus season, the subgroup is coordinating efforts to share the Cold Standard, an evidence-based toolkit for understanding and addressing AMR.

About Canada’s Drug Agency

Canada’s Drug Agency is a pan-Canadian health organization.

Created and funded by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments, we’re responsible for driving better coordination, alignment, and public value within Canada’s drug and health technology landscape.

We provide Canada’s health system leaders with independent evidence and advice so they can make informed drug, health technology, and health system decisions, and we collaborate with national and international partners to enhance our collective impact.

In December 2023, the drug agency expanded upon our existing mandates and added new work streams on improving the appropriate prescribing and use of medications, increasing the collection of and access to drug data, and improving drug system coordination.