unlicensed medicines

[emmas]

Hi all,
My name is Emma and I am conducting some research on the buying habits of hospitals of UK unlicensed medicines (I'm a part time student working at a independent pharmaceutical wholesaler). The areas of interest to me are, the usage of unlicensed meds, the preferred methods of ordering, the factors which influence the decision to purchase. How long do hospital pharmacists spend sourcing unlicensed meds in the UK, and where do they get them from? How important are translated PILs, SPCs, etc in the decision making process? What would make your lives easier when sourcing named patient meds?

These are the types of questions I need answering..does anyone have anything to contribute to this discussion? WOuld anyone be so kind as to help me by answering a questionnaire?

Thanks a lot in advance,

Emma

[johnep]

Idis, Durbin are main suppliers of imported ones. Whole matter likely to come under spending review because of cost. 'Specials' manufactured by variety of labs anxious to make money. £100 for a bottle of Ferrous sulphate mixture not uncommon.
johnep

[antipsychotic]

As the above mentioned idis is one of the sources used. Having a translated PIL and SPC is very important as we need to know the basic facts before we give it to a patient. It is also important to know whether it's liscenced anywhere else in the world to help do a risk assessment on the drug

[emmas]

Thanks guys, both very helpful comments.

Does a risk assessment have to be done for every imported unlicensed product? How long does this take? Would Idis and Durbin do risk assessments for you or do you do them yourself?

How do you order these products? Phone? Fax? Medecator / Tecsor, online? How would you like to order them more importantly?

Anyone else have any comments on the issues facing hospital pharmacists sourcing imported and manufactured specials?

Thanks everyone, really helpful.

Emma

[johnep]

Risk Assessment? That is the job of the CSM who will then issue a licence.
Ordering very easy unless have to go route specified by multiple. Just phone/fax.
johnep

[DavidS]

Does a risk assessment have to be done for every imported unlicensed product? How long does this take?

I'm a pharmacist. I do a risk assessment before I have a cup of tea.
I suspect you are asking whether or not anything needs to be documented. Yes it does, but I don't recall doing anything other than checking the script was valid, etc, last time I did this.

[emmas]

Thanks everyone, yeah I did mean a documented risk assessment.

I wondered whether anyone had any experience of using an online database of unlicensed meds?

If you haven't, would it be beneficial to you to use a supplier which did have an online database of products which you can search?

In this type of system, which would be the top 3 pieces of information which would help the decision making process?

Price
Product Image
Country of origin
Lead time
PIL to view before purchase
SPC to view before purchase
Translation of PIL and SPC available (if necessary)

Anything I have missed that would be important?

I am also interested to know, those of you that work for the NHS, what the implications would be in gaining access to an online database of UL meds?

Thanks in advance,
Emma

[bobbin]

I am conducting some research on the buying habits of hospitals of UK unlicensed medicines (I'm a part time student working at a independent pharmaceutical wholesaler)

I imagine that many hospitals buy imported 'specials' direct from IDIS World Medicines. Manufactured specials (usually creams and ointments) are either made in the hospital's own manufacturing unit (if they have one) or purchased from another hospital.

Various independent wholesalers such as Lexon now supply 'specials' to community pharmacies but I'm not sure whether they supply hospitals. Hospitals have massive buying power so I imagine that it would be cheaper for them to buy direct from importers or manufacturers rather than from wholesalers.

[emmas]

Thanks a lot.

Does anyone have any experience of working in a private hospital? Just wondering how the procurement of imported unlicesned meds differs in the private sector compared to the public sector?

How important a role does e-procurement play in the public and private sectors?

Thanks
Emma

[johnep]

Believe no difference at all, except the pt pays.
johnep