Dear Prescriber: The University of Michigan and the Michigan Pharmacists Association are pleased to announce the release of standard concentrations for oral liquids used in pediatric patients. Prior to the release of these standards, there was no standardization of the concentrations of these oral liquids, allowing for significant variation in concentrations compounded and leading to potentially serious medication errors. An assessment of the current degree of variation in compounding practices confirmed that a high degree of variation exists, with over 50% of the relevant survey medicines being compounded in 3 or more (and up to nine) different concentrations in pharmacies across the state. In only slightly more than 20% of relevant medicines was there a single common concentration being compounded. The recommended standards were approved through a process involving several steps, including surveying pharmacists and pharmacies throughout the state to gain an understanding of the variability in compounding practices, reviewing proposed standards with a select group of prescribers and obtaining endorsements from the following organizations: Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants Michigan Health & Hospital Association Michigan Pharmacist Association Michigan Osteopathic Association Michigan State Medical Society The standard concentrations can be found at the following website: . We strongly recommend that you prescribe the standard concentrations listed on this website. In the rare occurrence, an alternative concentration may be allowed if the standard concentration did not meet the needs of all patients. Please only use the alternative concentration if the patient meets the outlined criteria for use, which can be found in the toolkit on the website. Communication of this initiative (standard concentrations and website) is being disseminated to pharmacies across the state of Michigan. Thank you for helping to improve medication safety for pediatric patients!
Dear Prescriber: The University of Michigan and the Michigan Pharmacists Association are pleased to announce the release of standard concentrations for oral liquids used in pediatric patients. Prior to the release of these standards, there was no standardization of the concentrations of these oral liquids, allowing for significant variation in concentrations compounded and leading to potentially serious medication errors. An assessment of the current degree of variation in compounding practices confirmed that a high degree of variation exists, with over 50% of the relevant survey medicines being compounded in 3 or more (and up to nine) different concentrations in pharmacies across the state. In only slightly more than 20% of relevant medicines was there a single common concentration being compounded. The recommended standards were approved through a process involving several steps, including surveying pharmacists and pharmacies throughout the state to gain an understanding of the variability in compounding practices, reviewing proposed standards with a select group of prescribers and obtaining endorsements from the following organizations: Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants Michigan Health & Hospital Association Michigan Pharmacist Association Michigan Osteopathic Association Michigan State Medical Society The standard concentrations can be found at the following website: . We strongly recommend that you prescribe the standard concentrations listed on this website. In the rare occurrence, an alternative concentration may be allowed if the standard concentration did not meet the needs of all patients. Please only use the alternative concentration if the patient meets the outlined criteria for use, which can be found in the toolkit on the website. Communication of this initiative (standard concentrations and website) is being disseminated to pharmacies across the state of Michigan. Thank you for helping to improve medication safety for pediatric patients!
Prescriber_letter_annoucement_of_standards_20Jan2014.docx