scholarly journals P59 Assessing medicines for safe use in paediatrics

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (9) ◽  
pp. e37.1-e37
Author(s):  
Mary Worrall ◽  
Anne Fitzpatrick

AimThis service review aimed to reassess and upgrade the ‘New Products Assessment Form’ and to develop an assessment tool in line with European regulations governing paediatric medicines. Many medicinal products routinely used to treat the paediatric population have not been studied or authorised for paediatric use, which means there is widespread unlicensed and ‘off-label’ use of medicines. Medicines deemed safe in adult formulations may not be appropriate for paediatric patients. Medicines must therefore be carefully selected based on agreed criteria including, but not limited to: licensing, excipients, administration, labelling, similarity to other products, safety and handling.MethodA literature review was conducted. Guidance, information, and advice was sought from other healthcare institutions, and European guidelines and directives informing current practise around excipients in paediatric medicines. Pharmacy colleagues were consulted during the development of the tool, and an accessible assessment tool was completed for use in a tertiary paediatric hospital.1–4ResultsThis is the first comprehensive ‘New Products Assessment Form’ in the hospital which complies with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) directives governing excipients in paediatric medicines. The document highlights clearly potential issues and risks associated with product excipients, licensing status, warning label guidance and allows for recording of rationale for the selection of medicines. The ‘New Products Assessment Form’ is intended to highlight potential issues associated with excipients and their associated acceptable daily intake (ADI), but it will also highlight other risks associated with medicines used in paediatrics e.g. inadequate labelling, translation requirements for foreign products, sound-alike/look-alike products, safety and handling, and others.ConclusionThis revised assessment tool has been approved for use in the hospital pharmacy. It will be made available in hospital and community pharmacies on request. Use of the tool should be monitored and audited.ReferencesAnnex to the European Commission guideline on ‘Excipients in the labelling and package leaflet of medicinal products for human use’ (SANTE-2017-11668). https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/scientific-guideline/annex-european-commission-guideline-excipients-labelling-package-leaflet-medicinal-products-human_en.pdf. NPPG Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group Newsletter No 61 Autumn 2016. Excipients in medicines for children. http://nppg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/NPPG-61.pdfQuestions and Answers on Ethanol in the context of the revision of the guideline on ‘Excipients in the label and package leaflet of medicinal products for human use’ (CPMP/463/00) https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/scientific-guideline/questions-answers-ethanol-context-revision-guideline-excipients-label-package-leaflet-medicinal_en.pdfEMA. Guideline on pharmaceutical development of medicines for paediatric use.https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/scientific-guideline/guideline-pharmaceutical-development-medicines-paediatric-use_en.pdf

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (9) ◽  
pp. e18.1-e18
Author(s):  
Dilawar Khan ◽  
Daniel Kirby ◽  
Simon Bryson ◽  
Maryam Shah ◽  
Mohammed Afzal

Background & AimAs part of the EU paediatric regulation, the paediatric use marketing authorisation (PUMA) was introduced, with an aim to stimulate research in existing compounds that are off-patent and/or to help transform known off-label use into authorised use.1 However, success has been limited, with only a few products gaining a PUMA, such as Sialanar 320 micrograms/mL glycopyrronium (equivalent to 400 micrograms/mL glycopyrronium bromide). A distinct challenge to overcome in this area is the development of more ‘age appropriate formulations’, particularly with an excipient composition and load that is suitable for paediatric patients. This project aims to establish an excipient screening platform, supplemented with analytical characterisation of materials, which will act as a decision making tool to accelerate and de-risk the production of age appropriate paediatric medicines.MethodTo develop this excipient screening platform, a list of drugs that require an age appropriate formulation was produced using the ‘needs for paediatric medicines’ documents provided by the European medicines agency (EMA),2whilst common problematic excipients in paediatrics were identified using an EMA reflection paper.3 Literature and prescribing data were also reviewed to ensure drugs selected would benefit from an age appropriate formulation. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to determine compatibility of selected drugs with widely used excipients was carried out using a TA DSCQ200 instrument (TA Instruments, New Castle, DE) with TA Instruments Universal Analysis 2000 software. Data was collected under nitrogen atmosphere (50 mL min−1) using pierced flat-bottomed TZero aluminium pans (sample mass about 2 mg) and heating rate of 10 °C min−1 in the range from 50 to 400°C. For samples containing both the drug and an excipient, 1 mg of each was measured out and gently mixed with a spatula for one minute.ResultsThe most common class of drugs identified as requiring age appropriate formulations were related to cardiovascular disorders and neurology, whilst the majority of drugs identified also exhibit poor aqueous solubilities. Some identified problematic excipients include ethanol, sodium benzoate and sorbitol; however, these excipients may still be used in paediatric formulations, as long as they are below certain concentrations (for example, ethanol concentration should not exceed 0.5% w/v for under 6 years old). Two drugs identified through the initial screening, carvedilol and nifedipine, were analysed by DSC, alone and then alongside starch from corn and starch 1500; the resulting DSC curves showed no changes in peak size, position (peak onset temperatures for nifedipine and carvedilol were observed at 173.2°C and 117.3°C, respectively) and shape, as well as no additional peaks, therefore suggesting compatibility between the tested samples.ConclusionThis first phase of the development of an excipient screening platform will continue to scan several different excipients with selected active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in order to create compatibility profiles. The excipient screening platform generated will accelerate and de-risk the production of age appropriate formulations, as it would allow screening for potential incompatibilities and acceptability, alongside informing formulation of appropriate oral paediatric dosage forms.ReferencesEuropean Commission. State of Paediatric Medicines in the EU. 10 years of the EU Paediatric Regulation. COM (2017) 626. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/files/paediatrics/docs/2017_childrensmedicines_report_en.pdfNeeds for paediatric medicines - European Medicines Agency [Internet]. 2019 [cited 28 June 2019]. Available from: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory/research-development/paediatric-medicines/needs-paediatric-medicinesReflection paper: formulations of choice for the paediatric population [Internet]. European Medicines Agency. 2019 [cited 28 June 2019]. Available from: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/scientific-guideline/reflection-paper-formulations-choice-paediatric-population_en.pdf


2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 181 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Joseph Borg ◽  
Jean-Louis Robert ◽  
George Wade ◽  
George Aislaitner ◽  
Michal Pirozynski ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT – Purpose. The aim of this study was to identify common trends in the deficiencies identified in the quality part of the dossier during the evaluation of marketing authorisation applications for medicinal products for human use submitted through the EU’s centralised procedure. Methods. We analysed all the adopted Day 120 list of questions on the quality module of 52 marketing authorisation applications for chemical entity medicinal products submitted to the European Medicines Agency and evaluated by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), during 12 consecutive plenary meetings held in 2007 and 2008. Subsequently we calculated the frequency of common deficiencies identified across these applications. Results. Frequencies and trends on quality deficiencies have been recorded and presented for 52 marketing authorisation applications. 32 “Major Objections” originated from 13 marketing authorisation applications. 13 concerned were raised regarding drug substances and 19 for drug products. Furthermore, 905 concerns on drug substance and 1,054 on drug product were also adopted. Conclusions. The impact of the frequencies and trends in quality deficiencies that were identified are discussed from a regulatory point of view. It is expected that the results of this study will not only be of interest to pharmaceutical companies but will also aid regulators’ in obtaining consistent information on drug products based on transparent rules safeguarding the necessary pharmaceutical quality of medicinal products.


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