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DRUG HANDLING AND PATIENT COMPLIANCE IN AN OUTPATIENT PAEDIATRIC TRIAL
Author(s) -
Kvien T. K.,
Reimers S.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2710.1983.tb01104.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pharmacy , drug , clinical trial , randomization , clinical pharmacy , drug packaging , patient compliance , naproxen , compliance (psychology) , intensive care medicine , physical therapy , pharmacology , alternative medicine , emergency medicine , family medicine , psychology , pathology , radiology , social psychology
SUMMARY New routines for drug handling were used in a 24‐week outpatient double‐blind trial of naproxen versus acetylsalicylic acid in 80 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The clinician ordered tablets from the pharmacy for each patient by stating name, weight and randomization number. The pharmacy dispensed the drugs in sealed and labelled 1‐week medication containers. Totally, 2176 containers were packed and distributed to the patients. Two errors in ordering of drugs were detected. Patient compliance was studied by tablet count in used containers returned by 25 of the patients. The calculated compliance was 95%. The procedures for drug handling seem useful and may increase the validity of clinical trials. The staff at the local pharmacy can be valuable partners in the planning and performance of clinical drug trials.