Pharmacy Education (2021) 21(2) 93 - 97
https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2021.212.9397
Pharmacy Education 21(2) 93 - 97 93
ISSN 1477-2701 online © 2021 FIP
IAI CONFERENCE
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The evaluation of compounding prescription and its
availability of a licensed product for children at a
private hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Dina Christin Ayuning Putri, Maria Dorensia Ku Nanga, Sri Hartati Yuliani
Faculty of Pharmacy, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia,
Introduction
Providing medicine for paediatric patients is a huge
challenge, including the lack of information on drug
dosages and the availability of dosage to form the
formulas. Medication errors and serious risks are also
more common in children than adults (C.
Wiedyaningsih et al., 2012). Besides, the need for
treatment in paediatric patients is certainly not the
same as in adults because the physiology of the
paediatric patients’ bodies must be considered
different in terms of pharmacokinetics, dosage, route
of administration and adherence. That is the reason
why a study for paediatric medication is required.
An extemporaneous preparation or compounded drug
is commonly used as a medication for paediatrics
(Widyaswari & Wiedyaningsih, 2012). Compounding is
an activity of changing dosage form or mixing drugs into
a new dosage form which is needed for the patient
(Jackson & Lowey, 2010). It has a high risk and should
be of concern because there are many undesirable
events such as pharmaceutical problems, drug
interactions, medication errors, quality of concoctions,
and bacterial contamination problems. However, drug
compounding is generally a solution to the limitation of
drug formulas for paediatrics (C. Wiedyaningsih et al.,
2012).
There are some alternatives to drug compounding for
paediatric patients. Divided medicinal powder, syrup,
dispersible powder/tablet, etc., are some dosage
formulations that are commonly used. The study from
Virginia (2014) showed that 73% of paediatric patients
were more likely to get divided medicinal powder as a
medication. Divided medicinal powder, also known as
“puyer” in Indonesia, has several advantages, such as
flexibility in dose adjusting, easy administration, and
Keywords
Compounding
Extemporaneous preparation
Licensed drug formula
Prescribing profile
Correspondence
Dina Christin Ayuning Putri
Faculty of Pharmacy
Sanata Dharma University
Yogyakarta Special Region
Indonesia
dinachristin@usd.ac.id
Abstract
Introduction: The availability of licensed drug formulas for paediatric patients is still limited, so
compounded drugs still exist, especially in the form of divided medicinal powder. Aim: This study
aimed to determine the profile of divided medicinal powder prescription and its availability in
licensed drug formula for paediatric patients. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional study.
Prescriptions containing order to compound divided medicinal powder at a ublic Hospital in
Yogyakarta Special Region from January to March 2019, were collected and analysed descriptively.
Results: The total collected prescriptions were 152. The total of active substances given to
paediatric patients was 38. The most prescribed drug in the hospital was Triamcinolone. There are
34 active substances already available in licensed drug formulas for paediatric patients, so it is better
not to be compounded. However, four active substances are not available as licensed product in
the drug information handbook in Indonesia, so, it is reasonable to compound to provide a suitable
medication (dose and dosage form) for paediatric patients.