Proper dosing in both pediatric and geriatric populations is critical for maximizing therapeutic benefits while minimizing risks, ensuring safe and effective treatment across all ages. There is often a need for adaptation of medicines’ dosing and formulation to meet the increase of unmet medical needs in the pediatric and geriatric populations.
Pediatrics:
- Growth and Development: Children’s bodies are continuously growing and developing, which affects how they absorb, distribute, metabolize, and excrete medications. Dosages must be carefully calculated based on age, weight, and developmental stage to ensure efficacy and safety.
- Risk of Overdose or Underdose: Incorrect dosing can lead to serious consequences. Overdosing can cause toxicity, while underdosing may result in ineffective treatment and prolonged illness.
- Formulation and Administration: Pediatric medications often need to be in forms that are easy for children to take, such as liquids or chewables, and dosages must be precise to avoid errors.
Geriatrics:
- Physiological Changes: Aging affects drug metabolism and excretion due to changes in liver and kidney function. This necessitates careful adjustment of dosages to avoid adverse effects.
- Polypharmacy: Older adults often take multiple medications, increasing the risk of drug interactions. Accurate dosing helps minimize these risks and ensures each medication works as intended.
- Sensitivity to Medications: Elderly patients may be more sensitive to certain drugs, requiring lower doses to achieve the desired effect without causing harm.
At GPS, we leverage our expertise in solid oral formulations to adapt your formulations to the pediatric and geriatric population, be it by dose finding or the use of microparticulate systems, among others. Learn more about how we could help you by contacting us at pharmaceuticalservices@glatt.com
Here are some examples of formulations we can develop for your pediatrics and geriatrics applications:
- Mini-pellets, pellets
- Mini-tablets
- 3D-printed gummies
- Taste-masking
- Dry suspensions