OBJECTIVE: To understand the current situation of clinical drug use and to inspect the rationality of drug use and survey indices. METHODS: Twenty common diseases(1 530 cases ) treated in this hospital in 1995 were selected. Patierits were divided into three groups according to the sources of expenses: free of charge, self - expense, public - expense or into cases of internal medical and surgical departments. Using selected drug use indicators(SDUI) and self - designed indices, clinical drug use were surveyed and analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between each group jn main indices. It showed that irrational drug use was only different in degree. CONCLUSION: ①The indices adopted are practicable and rational for surveying and studying the rational drug use objectively. ②In any health care system and in any disease, the irrational drug use was serious.