Off-Label Drug Use in Pediatric Patients
Student Name
Program Name, Institution
COURSE CODE: Course Title
Instructor Name
Month, Year
Off-Label Drug Use in Pediatric Patients
An 8-year-old African-American male patient presents feelings of depression. In addition, the patient has a decreased appetite and is irritable regularly. The results of the physical examination and laboratory tests are within normal limits. The patient was given a daily dose of Paxil 10 mg orally; however, he made complaints of diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. As a result, Paxil is stopped. He was prescribed Prozac 10 mg once per day orally. Prozac is an antidepressant drug that works by blocking serotonin reuptake in neurons. It aims to reduce the manifestations of depression (Yan & Goldman, 2019). The client began to feel better after taking this medication, with no diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea. Therefore, the patient will have to take this drug in order to get a positive result.
Circumstances where Off-Label Drugs are Used for Children
Currently, there is more research about drug use by adults, but there is a scarcity of evidence-based practice on children. The majority of prescription drugs have not been verified in children. As a result, there is a scarcity of high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of children’s medications. It is elucidated by this group’s lack of experimental investigation, which is a result of practical, scientific, and ethical considerations. This explains why children’s drugs are prescribed off-label. Other considerations for using off-label medications in children include a variety of safe and approved treatment options for a certain disease, the lack of alternative types of medication for specific age groups, and a scarcity of medical studies in children (Mir, & Geer, 2018).
Strategies to Make the Off-Label Use and Dosage of Drugs Safer for Children
Children’s safety is a top priority because medical errors and off-label medication use are the leading causes of harm in this age group. In the pediatric unit, the most major concern is the physician’s prescription; hence, resolving this concern is critical in reducing the gap. The key aim of improving the standard of care is to write prescriptions correctly and considerably. It entails selecting a suitable component for a medication’s age-appropriate use and dose, taking into account drug reactions, and disseminating the knowledge to all healthcare professionals participating in the operation (Balan, Hassali & Mak, 2018)
Off-Label Drugs that require Extra Care and Attention when Used for Kids
When used in children, certain off-label drugs need extra caution and care. Phenobarbital drug was recommended as an antiepileptic drug. However, scientific proof suggested that it could cause behavioral and neurological problems in children. Oxygen therapy was also once successful in helping children breathe well. Intensified oxygen use in children, however, resulted in retrolental fibroplasia. Additionally, the medication chloramphenicol was once a very effective treatment for acute infections in children; however, with time, intensified use of this medication resulted in the development of the “grey baby” condition in several pediatrics.
Conclusion
In regards to the usage of off-label drugs, children are particularly susceptible. Since there is too little research on this topic, off-label medications are not the best medicines to use in children. Some considerations for off-label medication usage in youngsters include a shortage of approved and safe treatment options for a certain condition, as well as the shortage of alternative types of medication for specific age groups. Off-label medications may be used safely provided they are administered by doctors who know what they’re doing. Phenobarbital, chloramphenicol, and oxygen therapy are examples of off-label medications that require extra caution when used in children.
References
Balan, S., Hassali, M. A. A., & Mak, V. S. (2018). Two decades of off-label prescribing in children: a literature review. World Journal of Pediatrics, 14(6), 528-540.
Yan, T., & Goldman, R. D. (2019). Time-to-effect of fluoxetine in children with depression. Canadian Family Physician, 65(8), 549-551.