ASHP statement on the pharmacy and therapeutics committee.

The multiplicity of drugs available and the complexities surrounding their safe and effective use make it necessary for organized health-care settings to have a sound program for maximizing rational drug use. The pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee, or its equivalent, is the organizational keystone to this program. The P&T committee evaluates the clinical use of drugs, develops policies for managing drug use and drug administration, and manages the formulary system. This committee is composed of physicians, pharmacists, and other health professionals selected with the guidance of the medical staff. It is a policy-recommending body to the medical staff and the administration of the organization on matters related to the therapeutic use of drugs.