Re: E-DRUG: Chloramphenicol in oil

["carolyn green" <greencm@echohealth.org.uk>]

> E-DRUG: Chloramphenicol in oil
> ------------------------------
> Chloramphenicol in oil is still the recommended treatment in
> case of epidemics of purulent menigococcal meningitis.
> I have been unable to find any reliable information on the
> pharmacolgy and pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol in
> oil. Please send me any references on this topic. Thanks in
> advance for your help.
>
> Pascal Olle
> International Committee of the Red Cross
> Geneva, Switzerland > Email: polle@icrc.org

I just wondered how is it that this oily formulation of
chloramphenicol is still being recommended when it is virtually 
impossible to obtain supplies when an urgent response to epidemic 
meningococcal meningitis is required?

Every time we at ECHO receive such a request, we cannot find 
stocks available for immediate supply anywhere. Since this
product is used for nothing else these days, manufacturers will
only produce on demand and even then the quantities have to be
large to make it worth their while, with production taking four
weeks or more.  I do not know of a supplier who is likely to keep
useful stocks of a product which is only required for one specific
type of emergency, waiting for an unpredictable epidemic to
happen  -  the risk is too great of having stocks go out of date
and cost money to be destroyed.  If anyone knows of a useful
source of chloramphenicol in oil, please let me know. 

Perhaps treatment recommendations for epidemics of purulent
meningococcal meningitis should be revised so that physicians
and pharmacists are not sent on a fruitless search for a product
which is no longer much used?

Carolyn Green 
Sen.Pharmaceutical Adviser
ECHO International Health Services
Ullswater Crescent, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2HR, UK
Fax 0044 181 668 0751
Tel 0044 181 660 2220
Email: greencm@echohealth.org.uk

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