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The use of ethanol in paediatric formulations in New Zealand

Darren Svirskis1, Meiyen Toh, Sanyogita Ram

  • 1School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. d.svirskis@auckland.ac.nz

European Journal of Pediatrics
|February 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Ethanol is present in many children's liquid medicines in New Zealand, with concerningly high concentrations in some. Clearer labelling is needed globally to ensure safe medicine choices for pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmaceutical Science
  • Paediatric Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Ethanol is commonly used in paediatric liquid medicines as a solvent and preservative.
  • Safety concerns exist regarding both acute and chronic ethanol exposure in children.
  • Cultural and religious factors may preclude ethanol use for some families.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the availability of ethanol-containing medicines for paediatric use in New Zealand.
  • To compare findings with international guidelines on ethanol in paediatric medicines.

Main Methods:

  • Identification of paediatric liquid medicines available in New Zealand.
  • Analysis of ethanol content in identified medicinal products.

Main Results:

  • Forty-seven paediatric liquid medicines containing ethanol were identified.
  • Ethanol concentrations ranged from 0.6% to 76% v/v.
  • Some medicines, like digoxin (10.1-11.4% v/v ethanol), are used in neonates.

Conclusions:

  • Stricter guidance is necessary to reduce ethanol use in paediatric medicines, both in New Zealand and globally.
  • Full disclosure of ethanol presence and concentration on labels is crucial for informed decision-making by healthcare professionals and patients.
Abstract

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