[e-drug] Stories on giving medicines to children (5)

["Kirsten Myhr" <myhr@online.no>]

E-DRUG: Stories on giving medicines to children (5)
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In Norway, where common bacterial infections in children are still
sensitive to phenoxymethylpenicillin, the doctors find the the bad taste
of the suspension or drops to be an obstacle to rational prescribing.
Therefore they sometimes write prescriptions for less suitable
alternatives, e.g. cephalexin (claimed to be the one with the best
taste). May be this is also driven by parents being less willing to try
ways of making the child accept the preferred choice
(phenoxymethylpenicillin) by e.g. put drops on a slice of bread with
jam.

Obviously, there is no incentive for pharmaceutical companies to try and
improve formulations!

Kirsten

Ms Kirsten Myhr, MScPharm, MPH
Head
RELIS Drug Info and Pharmacovigilance Centre
Ulleval University Hospital
0407 OSLO, Norway
Tel: +47 23 01 64 11   Fax: +47 23 01 64 10
myhr@online.no