Objective: To produce a panel of the main drug selection indicators by performing an integrative literature review.
Methods: After the elaboration of a review protocol, searches were conducted in LILACS, MEDLINE, Embase, and SciELO databases. The following search terms were used: "indicators"; "criteria"; "drug selection"; "pharmacy and therapeutics committee"; and "medication form"; with the applicable variations in English and Spanish. Sixteen original articles published between January 1996 and March 2012 were retrieved and reviewed to compose a panel of indicators.
Results: Forty-five quantitative and qualitative indicators were identified. These indicators were grouped according to conceptual similarities in three categories: 1) assessment of pharmacy and therapeutics committee structure; 2) evaluation of the general processes of drug selection; and 3) evaluation of the results of drug selection.
Conclusions: The indicators identified reveal relative uniformity in the established patterns for drug selection. The group of indicators established in this study should serve as reference for the development and consolidation of drug selection in public health services.