GPs may be underdosing penicillin-based drugs in kids
Australian researchers have raised concerns over old recommendations in antibiotic product information that are at odds with the Therapeutic Guidelines
GPs might be underdosing children when prescribing penicillin-based antibiotics because of outdated recommendations, some going back decades, in product information, experts warn.
Australia’s Therapeutic Guidelines provide up-to-date advice on antibiotic choice, dosage and duration when prescribing the medications to children.
However, a team of researchers led by Sydney Children’s Hospital, are concerned that GPs might be following inaccurate product information (PI) instead, which is integrated into many electronic prescribing systems.
They say these recommendations only include clinical indications and doses approved by the TGA at registration.
