The unapproved use of approved drugs, also called off-label use, with children is quite common. This is because pediatric dosage guidelines are typically unavailable, since very few drugs have been specifically researched and tested with children.
When treating children, prescribers often adjust dosages approved for adults to accommodate a child’s weight. However, children are not just “smaller” adults. Adults and children process and respond to drugs differently in their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
Children even respond differently during stages from infancy to adolescence. This poses potential safety concerns when prescribing drugs to pediatric patients. As an advanced practice nurse, you have to be aware of safety implications of the off-label use of drugs with this patient group.
To Prepare
- Review the interactive media piece in this week’s Resources and reflect on the types of drugs used to treat pediatric patients with mood disorders.
- Reflect on situations in which children should be prescribed drugs for off-label use.
- Think about strategies to make the off-label use and dosage of drugs safer for children from infancy to adolescence. Consider specific off-label drugs that you think require extra care and attention when used in pediatrics.
By Day 5 of Week 11
Write a 1-page narrative in APA format that addresses the following:
- Explain the circumstances under which children should be prescribed drugs for off-label use. Be specific and provide examples.
- Describe strategies to make the off-label use and dosage of drugs safer for children from infancy to adolescence. Include descriptions and names of off-label drugs that require extra care and attention when used in pediatrics.
Solution:
Off-Label Drug Use in Pediatrics
Off-label use remains highly controversial in pediatrics and community health as there lack appropriate guidelines for the majority of drugs prescribed to the children. Lack of adequate scientific evidence comprises the safety and efficacy in this specific sub-population (Schrier et al., 2020). Off-label medications are attributed to significant drug reactions in pediatrics. However, lack of familiarity with information regarding the efficacy, dosing, and safety ofthese drugs do not completely prohibit their use. Also, it does not require that providers require special consent before prescribing them. In this light, there are conditions under which health providers can prescribe off-label drugs to children. The first circumstance is when there is the availability of the best evidence regarding a specific drug. Another circumstance under which the health providers may consider the off-label drugs in an instance where the standard therapy has failed, and other alternative forms of drugs are not effective (Lee et al., 2018).Lastly, the availability of a drug may influence the decision to use a certain off-label drug. It takes a rigorous process to obtain FDA approval for acceptable use.
The best possible strategies to ensure safe prescriptions to children include providing well-labeled pediatric formulations approved for safe use. The formulations should consider all the subgroups,i.e., from infancy to adolescence. Elements included in such formulations include……Please click the icon below to purchase full answer at only $10