Sugar-free Medicines Research Articles

Parents acceptance of sugar-free medicines

AbstractPharmacists are developing an increasingly important role in patient counselling. In response to this dentists have been encouraging pharmicists to recommend sugar-free medicines in preference to those which contain sugar. The purpose of this study was to determine if parents would give their young children a sugar-free medicine if it was recommended by the pharmacist. Forty-five parents with children below two years of age were interviewed using a questionnaire. The results indicated that 96 percent of those interviewed would try a sugar-free medicine if recommended by their pharmacist.

A qualitative investigation into general practitioners' views on prescribing sugar-free medicines for children prior to a dental health education campaign

As general medical practitioners were to be one of the target groups for a dental health campaign aimed at encouraging the use of sugar-free rather than sugar-containing paediatric medicines, this pilot study was undertaken of their prescribing habits. Ten general practitioners were interviewed in-depth to investigate the factors affecting prescribing, with particular regard to young children, and whether concerns about dental health prompted the prescriptions of sugar-free medicines. The general practitioners reported a lack of information on sugar-free medicines and why it should be important to use them, especially with regard to all the other sugar intakes a child would have. Prescribing was described as ‘automatic’ once established, so changing to sugar-free would have to be made easy and a good reason given. Several useful suggestions were made as to how to make a campaign to promote the use of sugar-free medicines more effective.

Sugar-free medicines: a lost opportunity?

Sugar-free medicines: a lost opportunity?