Objective To provide evidence for the definition, current development and prospect of Evidence-based pharmacy through systematically assessing the extant literatures. Methods We searched CBM, VIP, CNKI, PubMed, EMbase, and Google for supplement. We extracted definitions of evidence-based pharmacy, types of studies, published year, topics of studies, and the author information from the included studies. We compared the definitions on different domains, and assessed the current development of evidence-based pharmacy literature. Results a) The definition of evidence-based pharmacy: We found 4 definitions, and there were great differences among them on the people who practiced evidence-based pharmacy as well as the methods and areas of the practice. b) The evidence-based pharmacy literature: 12 English and 202 Chinese articles were included in the review. The number of Chinese evidence-based pharmacy articles was increasing annually, especially in recent 3 years; Most of their authors were from hospitals, especially from pharmacy department; Their study orientations mostly involved clinical pharmacy and hospital pharmacy; The topics mainly refered to the practice and development of clinical pharmacy, rational drug use, and development of hospital pharmacy. Conclusion a) There is yet no consensus on the definition of evidence-based pharmacy. b) Few researchers worldwide know or show interest in evidence-based pharmacy, while, so far, more and more researchers are getting to know evidence-based pharmacy in China. c) Further efforts should be made to develop the theoretical system of evidence-based pharmacy and the pattern of its practice.
Objective To determine the extent of off-label drug use in pediatric outpatients of West China Second University Hospital in 2010, and to analyze its possible risk factors, so as to provide baseline data for getting acquainted with the extent of off-label drug use in pediatrics in China and developing policy of off-label drug use. Methods The stratified random sampling was conducted to select prescriptions of children aged 0 to 18 years in pediatric outpatients of the West China Second University Hospital in 2010. According to drug instructions, off-label drug use of prescriptions of all selected children was analyzed in the following aspects, the category of off-label drug use, age, category of drugs. In addition, an analysis was conducted to check the relationship between off-label use and following possible risk factors: age, sex, essential medicines and over-the-counter drugs. Results A total of 2 640 prescriptions with 8 588 medical advices involving 329 drugs were extracted and analyzed, with incidence rates of off-label drug use accounting for 76.59%, 40.88% and 83.89%, respectively. The main categories of off-label drug use were no pediatric information (35.57%), indication (25.44%), and dosage (25.31%). The top 2 age groups with highest incidence rate of off-label drug were neonates (54.35%) and adolescents (49.64%). The top 4 drugs with highest incidence rate of off-label drug were respiratory system medicines (48.12%), Chinese patent medicines (48.12%), digestive and metabolic system medicines (33.36%), and systemic anti-infectives (16.27%). The off-label use risks in all age groups in the hospital were indifferent, and the essential medicines and prescription medicines were likely to present higher risks of drug off-label. Conclusion Off-label drug use in pediatric outpatients is common with growth trend in pediatric outpatients of the West China Second University Hospital. On the one hand, drug instructions lack pediatric information, and on the other hand, it’s badly in need of developing relevant legislation, regulations or guidelines to regulate off-label drug use, providing more evidence by conducting clinical trials on pediatric drugs, encouraging the development and production of the applicable drugs and dosage forms for children, and establishing the children essential medicine list, so as to avoid doctor’s professional risk and ensure the safety of pediatric drug use.
Objective To investigate the off-label prescriptions in pediatrics in West China Second University Hospital and to analyze the reasons and performance, so as to provide the baseline data for improving the rationality drug use in pediatrics in China. Methods The prescriptions of pediatrics outpatient department were randomly selected from May 2008 to April 2009; and the off-label use was analyzed according to the package inserts in the following aspects, the types of off-label use, the rate of off-label use in different age groups and categories of medicine. Results Of the total 2 400 prescriptions, 1 398 (58.25%) involving off-label use. All sample prescriptions contained 6028 records, 1 923 (31.90%) involving off-label use. The problems such as dosage (45.98%), frequency (21.17%) and age (18.19%) were the top-three types of off-label use. The rate in different age groups ranked as the top-three were school-age (61.56%), followed by preschool (60.77%) and infants (57.56). The top-five categories of medicines in off-label use were anti-allergy drugs (49.45%), digestive system drugs (49.32%), externally applied drugs (41.49%), Chinese patent drugs (34.60%) and nervous system drugs (33.78%). Conclusion The off-label drug use is widespread in pediatrics outpatient department. It is an effective approach to reduce off-label use and improve drug safety through strictly abiding by the instruction of usage and dosage as well as selecting a suitable dosage form.
Objective To determine the extent of off-label drug use in Pediatric Wards of West China Second University Hospital in 2010 and analyze its risk factors, so as to provide baseline data for getting acquainted with the extent of off-label drug use in pediatrics in China, and for making policies of off-label drug use. Methods The proportionate stratified random sampling was conducted to select medical advice and discharge medication for hospitalized children in Pediatric Wards in 2010. According to drug instructions, the off-label drug use of prescriptions of all selected children was analyzed in the following aspects, the category of off-label drug use, age, category of drugs and wards. In addition, a logistic regression was done that modeled the odds of receiving an off-label prescription as a function of the following possible risk factors: age, sex and the rank of doctors. Results The total 749 children were selected, and 14 374 prescriptions involving 385 drugs were analyzed. The rate of off-label drug use was 98.00%, 78.96% and 88.05% in children, prescriptions and drug categories, respectively. The main categories of off-label drug use were no pediatric information (29.41%), indication (18.35%), dosage (17.61%) and dosage range (±20%) (13.52%). The top 2 age groups of off-label drug use were adolescents (83.56%) and children (80.58%). The top 4 drugs of off-label use were those for alimentary tract and metabolism (82.28%), anti-infectives for systemic use (75.06%), blood and blood forming organs (79.27%) and respiratory (58.27%). The top 2 wards of off-label drug use were Pediatric Hematology (88.27%) and Neonates (79.12%). In hospital, children, adolescents and male patients had higher risk factors of off-label drug use, and doctors with senior rank prescribed more off-label prescriptions than those with intermediate rank. Conclusion The off-label drug use in Pediatric Wards is common in West China Second University Hospital. On the one hand, drug instructions lack the pediatric information, and, on the other hand, it’s badly in need of developing relevant legislations, regulations or guidelines to regulate off-label drug use, in order to avoid doctor’s professional risks and ensure the safety of pediatric drug use.