Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Maltese prescribers use of off-label and unlicensed medicines in children: perceptions and attitudes.

Background Reviews of paediatric prescriptions in the community setting have quantified off-label use to reach 52 % and unlicensed use to reach 17 %. Objective To investigate the attitudes and perceptions of a sample of paediatricians and family doctors practising in primary care on off-label and unlicensed prescribing in children in Malta. Methods A validated de novo 18-item questionnaire was used to conduct face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 24 family doctors and 6 paediatricians during 2014. Results Although only 10 % of participants correctly defined off-label/unlicensed use, after the definitions were provided, 97 % admitted to knowingly prescribe medicines in this manner. Such use primarily involved prescribing to younger age groups and different indications to those recommended in the product literature. The main contributing factor for prescribing in an off-label/unlicensed manner was a lack of appropriately licensed paediatric medicines. The most commonly implicated class of medicines was cough/cold medicines. The principal concerns were medico-legal and safety concerns. Conclusion Participants knowingly prescribed medicines in an off-label/unlicensed manner. The perceived reasons were prescribing for a younger age and for indications outside the Summary of Product Characteristics. Divergent prescribing recommendations in different sources of information, prescribers' personal experience and reliance on medical representatives contribute to inadvertent off-label/unlicensed prescribing.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app