Labelling of dispensed medicines

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Labelling of dispensed medicines




Study Points



image Reasons for labelling dispensed products


image Requirements for labels


image Standard details required on labels


image Additional labels


image Specific UK legal requirements


image Patient-specific labels



Introduction


All dispensed medicines, whether extemporaneously prepared, repackaged from a manufacturer’s pack or a manufacturer’s patient pack, should be individually labelled for the patient. The label on a dispensed medicine has several main functions:



Most countries have both legal and professional requirements for the labelling of dispensed medicines. It is the pharmacist’s responsibility to ensure that these requirements are satisfied and that all labelling is accurate and comprehensible. Normally, there are standard details which must appear on every label. However, some medicines may require additional details. The provision of an adequate label, however, does not remove the need to give advice and counselling to the patient (see Ch. 25).



Standard requirements for labelling dispensed medicines


All labels should be in printed form and so the information should be legible. However, it is good professional practice to check each label for legibility (including size of print) before handing the product to the patient.


The details which should appear on the label of a dispensed medicine are:





The name of the preparation, strength and form


The name which appears on the label must be the same as the one which appears on the prescription. The preparation may be prescribed generically but only be available as a proprietary or branded product; however, the prescribed name must be used. The reason for this is to avoid the patient becoming confused with a variety of names.


The name may be omitted only when the product is prepared to a prescriber’s own formula and contains several active ingredients and has no official name. In these instances, it may be difficult to list all the ingredients on the label and so the pharmaceutical form is used, e.g. ‘the ointment’, ‘the mixture’.


If the preparation is available in more than one strength, e.g. amoxicillin 250 mg and 500 mg capsules, the strength must be included on the label. Such information clearly identifies the medicine.


Similarly, the form of the medicines should be included on the label. This is especially important if the product is available in more than one form (e.g. capsules, syrup, suspension, sachets, injection). The inclusion of the form identifies the medicine and may give an indication of how it is to be used/taken (e.g. suppositories, inhalations, enemas).


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Jun 24, 2016 | Posted by in PHARMACY | Comments Off on Labelling of dispensed medicines

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