Consumption of prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) liquid oral medicines (LOMs) in Great Britain and the northern region of England, with special regard to sugar content.

The widespread use of sugar-based liquid oral medication, especially long term, continues to cause concern in view of the well-established link between sugar and dental caries. As part of an overall study of liquid oral medicine use in children, analysis of the number of prescriptions and volume of liquid oral medicines dispensed through the general medical and dental services, on a regional and national basis, was undertaken, together with a survey of liquid oral medicines ordering in hospital pharmacies and 'over-the-counter' (OTC) liquid oral medicines in community pharmacies. The number of prescriptions and volume of liquid oral medicines prescribed during a one-year period (1987) were: for Great Britain, 43.9 million prescriptions and 10.3 million litres; for the Northern Region, 2.7 million prescriptions and 0.7 million litres. The total volume of liquid oral medicines, for both long- and short-term use, supplied on prescription and over the counter within the Northern Region during a one-year period (1987) was approximately 1.1 million litres. Of this, 0.28 million litres were OTC liquid oral medicines destined for long- and short-term use. In quantity terms, 59% of prescribed liquid oral medicines and 65% of hospital pharmacy liquid oral medicines, dispensed potentially for long-term use, were sugar-based, whereas 45% of the quantity supplied over the counter was sugar-based. Although there has been progress towards more sugar-free preparations being available over the counter, sugar-based prescribing and dispensing dominates prescription liquid medicines, which are more likely to be taken long term.