The ministry of health preparing a national rational drug consumption program in Turkey. It is a must to rationalize drug use and effectively reorganize reimbursement of drugs in order to minimize costs and maximize effective treatment. However, due to the lack of studies on drug prescription habits, rational drug prescribing and cost analysis, it is not possible to make effective changes. OBJECTIVE: We have conducted a pilot study on reimbursed prescriptions of Emekli Sandigi and Bag-Kur from January 1998-between September 1999 and evaluated antihypertensive drugs. METHODS: 2278 prescriptions from Ankara Numune Hospital and the social security systems (Emekli Sandigi, Bag-Kur) were chosen randomly and the medical information including the length of time the medications were extracted. RESULTS: Cost analysis of antihypertensives showed that the average total cost of antihypertensives treatment was $9,09 (range $0,89-$30,52) per patient and the most prescribed antihypertensive drug was ACE inhibitors (25%). CONCLUSIONS: Taking the results of this pilot study into consideration, a master study for Turkey is planned which will also include postgraduate training programs to enhance rational prescription. In October 1999 the first program was held in Patalya Hotel-Ankara by the ministry of health.