Clinical pharmacology

Question 1

Who regulates the licensing of medications?

Answer 1

MHRA - Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Question 2

What does the MHRA do?

Answer 2

Ensures medicines meet standards on safety, quality, efficacy, effectiveness

Question 3

What is the yellow card scheme?

Answer 3

Main method for post-marketing surveillance of ADRs in the UK
Collects info on side effects, medical device adverse incidents, defective meds, fake meds, safety concerns

Question 4

What info is included on a yellow card report?

Answer 4

The side effects
Info about the patient
Name of medicine
Physician’s name and full address

Question 5

Should you report neutropenia in use of a drug which is well established and has this as a listed side effect in BNF?

Answer 5

Yes

Question 6

Should you report sleep disturbance in use of a well established drug which already has this listed in BNF as a side effect?

Answer 6

No

Question 7

What does unlicensed mean?

Answer 7

No marketing authorisation

Question 8

What does off label mean?

Answer 8

Licensed but prescribed out with the terms of marketing authorisation

Question 9

What does Specials mean?

Answer 9

Special formulations of medicines made for clinical reasons when an existing formulation of an available licensed product is not suitable for patient = unlicensed

Question 10

What are the 2 main classifications of medicines?

Answer 10

Prescription only (POM)
OTC

Question 11

What are some requirements for a prescription?

Answer 11

Name and address of patient
Age of patient
Drug name, formulation, dose, frequency and quantity dispensed
Signed in indelible ink by appropriate practitioner
Date signed
Type of prescriber and address

Question 12

What are CD’s?

Answer 12

Controlled drugs

E.g. opiates, temazepam, tramadol

Question 13

How do you write doses?

Answer 13

If less than 1g write mg
If less than 1mg write microgram
Do not abbreviate micrograms or nanograms!

Question 14

What does o.d. mean?

Answer 14

Omni die

Every day

Question 15

What does prn mean?

Answer 15

Pro re nata

When required

Question 16

What does ac mean?

Answer 16

Ante cibum

Before food

Question 17

What are some general principles of prescribing?

Answer 17

All patients must have kardex
Use permanent black ink
Block caps
Max 2 PARs at a time
24 hour clock times

Question 18

What is a PAR?

Answer 18

Prescription Administration Record

Question 19

What is GcMAF?

Answer 19

Unlicensed human blood product
Treats autism, HIV, cancer
Unlicensed

Question 20

What are the 5 R’s to prevent medication errors?

Answer 20

Right patient
Right drug
Right dose
Right route
Right time