The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), a not-for-profit pharmacy standards development organization, has issued a patient safety white paper on oral liquid medications dosing.
The paper provides specific industry guidance for standardizing the dosing designations and labeling of oral liquid medications. It details patient risks associated with the variety of oral liquid dosing designations, prescribing practices, and processing systems that can lead to dispensing and later administration errors that can harm patients, especially pediatric patients who are often prescribed liquid medications.
The recommendations are consistent with best practice requirements by the Joint Commission for certification across acute care inpatient settings, as well as U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and industry recommendations for over-the-counter medicines. The white paper also covers the provision and use of appropriate dosing devices, as well as recommendations for caregiver and patient education to facilitate proper administration of oral liquid medications.
The paper can be downloaded for free at the NCPDP website.
