Abstract

RATES AND PATTERN OF OFF-LABEL PRESCRIBING IN A HOSPITAL IN QASSIM REGION, SAUDI ARABIA: A PILOT STUDY

Sami Alsalmi*

ABSTRACT

Aim: Off-label prescribing is very common practice worldwide and it may be unavoidable. The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of off label prescribing in a hospital in Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional pilot study. Hundred prescriptions were collected randomly from 5 different days (20 prescriptions per day) from the pharmacy department of a hospital in Qassim region. Data was analyzed descriptively. Results: Fifty percent of prescriptions included an off-label prescribing. However, out of 204 prescribed medications, 65 were off-labeled (31.9 % of the total number prescribed). The rates of off-label prescribing by gender were 52% among male and 48% among female. By age group; off-label prescribing rate was highest among adolescents (100%), followed by children (68%), adults (56%), infants (40%), young adults and elderly (33% each), and old adults (25%). By prescribed medications; off-label prescribing rate was highest in antibiotics (30 out of 51, 58.8%). By hospital units (i.e. out of 100 prescriptions); off-label prescribing rate was highest among the prescriptions from surgery unit (3 out of 3, 100%), followed by artificial kidney unit (4 out of 5, 80%). By diagnostic category (i.e. out of 100 prescriptions), rate of off-label prescribing was highest among respiratory disorders and infections (24 out of 30, 80%), followed by other infections (6 out of 14, 42%). Conclusion: Rate of off-label prescribing in the Hospital is relatively high particularly in antibiotics. Pharmacists in the hospital should educate prescribers about the off-label use trying to reduce rates.

Keywords: Off-label prescribing, prescribing pattern, Saudi Arabia, Pilot study.