Prescribing and dispensing practices for oral iron tablets: a Canadian experience

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Gastroenterology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Oral iron formulations vary in release characteristics, impacting absorption and therapeutic outcomes.
• Iron deficiency anemia is a common condition requiring effective oral iron supplementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prescribing habits of Canadian physicians regarding oral iron preparations.
• To determine pharmacy dispensing practices for generic oral iron prescriptions.
• To identify potential discrepancies between prescribed and dispensed iron formulations.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was distributed to family physicians, internists, surgeons, and obstetrician-gynecologists in a Canadian urban center.
• A survey of local pharmacies was conducted to ascertain dispensed brands for generic oral iron prescriptions.
• Prescribing preferences for specific iron salts and release formulations were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Ferrous sulfate was the preferred iron salt for 74% of physicians.
• Most physicians did not specify enteric-coated/slow-release or non-enteric-coated preparations.
• Pharmacies dispensed enteric-coated ferrous sulfate for 96% of generic prescriptions.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of patients may receive enteric-coated/slow-release oral iron tablets.
• Discrepancies in release properties between prescribed and dispensed iron could compromise treatment efficacy.
• Further investigation into the clinical impact of altered release properties on iron absorption is warranted.