Guidelines for ATC classification and DDD assignment - WHOCC

List of DDDs for combined products where the assigned DDD deviates from the
general principles is available on our website www.whocc.no.
VII. OTHER ATC CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS
A. ATCvet classification
The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification for veterinary medicinal
products, ATCvet, is based on the same main principles as the ATC system for
medicines for human use. The ATCvet classification is kept as close to the human
system as possible, but with special adaptations in order to make it suitable for
veterinary medicines. The ATCvet classification was developed by the Nordic
Council on Medicines, and was taken over by the WHO Collaborating Centre for
Drug Statistics Methodology in January 2001. Further information on the ATCvet
classification can be found on our website www.whocc.no.
B. ATC herbal classification
A framework for ATC classification of herbal remedies was developed by Dr. Peter
De Smet, The Netherlands, in 1998. The classification is structurally similar to the
official ATC system, but the herbal classification is not adopted by WHO. The
Uppsala Monitoring Centre is responsible for the ATC herbal classification, and it
is used in their Drug Dictionary.
The Uppsala Monitoring Centre has published Guidelines for Herbal ATC (HATC)
classification and a Herbal ATC Index. The Herbal ATC Index includes a list of
accepted scientific names with HATC codes, while the guideline is intended to help
in assigning HATC codes to herbal remedies.
Further information about the Herbal ATC classification can be obtained from Dr
Mohamed Farah [address: The Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO Collaborating
Centre for International Drug Monitoring), Box 1051,
S-751 40 Uppsala, Sweden, E-mail: Mohamed.farah@who-umc.org].
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