Medicines can play a crucial role in the attainment or maintenance of health but it is vital that they are used rationally. If a patient needs treatment, he or she must have access to the right medication, in the right dosage and for the appropriate course of treatment. Health-care professionals, such as doctors and pharmacists, play a key role in ensuring that medicines are used appropriately. As gatekeepers to care, they need to assess different treatment options, including pharmacotherapy, and consider each for potential benefit and harm.

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