Collection and Analysis of Drug Information on Pediatric Doses

Pediatric doses cited in package inserts were compared between Japanese formulary “Drugs in Japan, Ethical Drugs 1974” and “Drugs in Japan, Ethical Drugs 1989” in order to compare the extent of citation of pediatric doses in recent package inserts with that of 15 years before. In addition, the information on pediatric doses of drugs, which have been used in Kumamoto University Hospital, was collected by searching the literature. The number of drugs cited the pediatric doses in Japanese formulary '89 was less than that in Japanese formulary '74. The pediatric doses were cited in 608 (21.6%) of 2817 drugs adopted in Japanese formulary '74, whereas they were cited in 301 (13.1%) of 2295 drugs adopted in Japanese formulary '89. Antibiotics was the class of drugs whose pediatric doses were most cited in both formularies. The pediatric doses were described more in terms of age than in terms of body weight or body surface area in Japanese formulary'74. On the other hand, those in Japanese formulary '89 were described more in terms of body weight than in terms of age. Any information on pediatric doses could be collected in approximately 80% of the drugs adopted in Kumamoto University Hospital by searching the literature.