Tiengkate Prangthong, Lallemant Marc, Charoenkwan Pimlak, Angkurawaranon Chaisiri, Kanjanarat Penkarn, Suwannaprom Puckwipa, Borriharn Phetlada
The Public Health Promotion, Research and Training Foundation (PHPT), Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand.
Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
Children (Basel). 2022 Feb 22;9(3):301. doi: 10.3390/children9030301.
The lack of appropriate medicines for children has a significant impact on health care practices in various countries around the world, including Thailand. The unavailability of pediatric medicines in hospital formularies causes issues regarding off-label use and extemporaneous preparation, resulting in safety and quality risks relating to the use of medicines among children. This research aimed to identify missing pediatric formulations based on the experience of healthcare professionals in a teaching hospital in northern Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data on missing pediatric formulations, the reasons for their inaccessibility, their off-label uses, their reactions to the situation, and suggestions to improve access to these identified medications. The survey was distributed to all physicians, nurses, and pharmacists involved in prescribing, preparing, dispensing, and administering pediatric medicines. A total of 218 subjects responded to the survey. Omeprazole, sildenafil, and spironolactone suspension were most often identified as missing formulations for children by physicians and pharmacists. They are unavailable on the Thai market or in any hospital formulary. For nurses, sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, and chloral hydrate were the most problematic formulations in terms of preparation, acceptability, and administration. These medicines were difficult to swallow because of their taste or texture.
儿童适用药物的短缺对包括泰国在内的世界各国的医疗实践都产生了重大影响。医院处方中没有儿科药物导致了超说明书用药和临时配制方面的问题，从而产生了与儿童用药相关的安全和质量风险。本研究旨在根据泰国北部一家教学医院医护人员的经验，确定缺失的儿科制剂。进行了一项横断面调查，以收集有关缺失儿科制剂的数据、无法获取这些制剂的原因、它们的超说明书用途、他们对这种情况的反应，以及改善获取这些已确定药物的建议。该调查分发给了所有参与儿科药物处方、配制、分发和给药的医生、护士和药剂师。共有218名受试者回复了调查。奥美拉唑、西地那非和螺内酯混悬液最常被医生和药剂师确定为儿童缺失制剂。它们在泰国市场或任何医院处方中都没有。对于护士来说，碳酸氢钠、氯化钾和水合氯醛在配制、可接受性和给药方面是最成问题的制剂。这些药物因其味道或质地而难以吞咽。
