Abstract

Basic matters related to the method of dispensing oral-dose liquid medication and other prescription drugs in Japan have been set forth in the Dispensing Guidance issued by the Japan Pharmaceutical Association. However, accurate ways of dispensing vary among medical facilities and pharmacies. In case of oral-dose liquid medication such as antipyretics and expectorants often used for pediatric patients, the pharmacists often subdivide the liquid from a 500-mL glass container into smaller plastic containers and provides the subdivided liquid after dilution in a volume needed for a given patient. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the ease of use of several kinds of liquid medication containers and measuring devices during experimental measuring of phantom drug solution. The study was additionally designed to evaluate the extent of knowledge about the Child Resistance (CR) caps, and the ease or difficulty in removing such a cap. The collaborators to this study attached importance to the accuracy in measuring the liquid, the ease of reading the graduations and the design allowing hygienic handling as the factors determining the most easily usable liquid medication containers. The results additionally show that the recognition of the CR cap among people is not high at present.

Keywords

liquid medication, pediatric, plastic container, child resistance (CR), administration, device