Paediatric compounding and formulations in Canada: A primer for prescribers and call to action for government

Most medications are developed and manufactured with adult needs in mind. When no commercially available medication formulation is suitable to meet a child's needs, an adult medication must be manipulated to facilitate safe and appropriate administration. This process is known as compounding and is a common practice in paediatric medicine. Reliance on compounding to meet the needs of paediatric patients means that prescribers caring for children must be aware of this practice along with its intrinsic, associated risks. In parallel, there is an urgent need for Health Canada, health technology assessment bodies, provincial/territorial formulary managers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to work together to address the complex issues that compromise access to commercially available, child-friendly formulations in Canada.