The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7423 p481
21 October 2006

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· Pfizer products (3)
· Prescribing
· Sugar-free medicines
· Drug misuse
· Pharmacy in Spain
· Pharmacy ownership (2)
· The Society (3)
· Superdrug
· Hiccups

Letters to the Editor

Sugar-free medicines

Joined-up thinking required

From Mr J. V. Wilson, MRPharmS

I read the paper by Kelly et al on sugar-free liquid medicines ordered on prescriptions for children (PJ, 14 October, p451) with great interest. This particular problem is by no means new; indeed it has been known about for several decades. Why, therefore, do medicines intended for children (or any liquid medicines) still contain sugar?

Many pharmacies, including that in which I work regularly as a locum, stock only sugar-free formulations wherever possible. Is it too much to hope that the medicines licensing authority might be persuaded to take some responsibility for public health, like the rest of us, and require liquid medicine formulations to be sugar-free? Until all liquid medicines are reformulated to be sugar-free, could not community pharmacists supply (and be paid for) sugar-free formulations, even if not specified by the prescriber? However, this would require some joined-up thinking so I will not hold my breath.

John Wilson
Arnold, Nottinghamshire

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