Types of Specials

There are more than 75,000 different formulations of Specials prescribed every year and very many reasons why a Special is needed: a pre-term baby that can’t tolerate a standard dose; a stroke patient or older patient who has lost the swallow reflex and needs a concentrated dose, a child with learning difficulties who won’t take a tablet and needs a liquid format, a patient in intensive care who has specific intravenous infusions nutritional needs, a cancer patient undergoing complex oncology, or someone with skin problems who has an allergic reaction to common drug excipients and needs a preservative free formulation.

Although Specials represent approximately 1% of prescriptions, this volume is made up of a huge array of different formulations, from creams and liquids to intravenous and injectibles. Very few Specials prescriptions are exactly the same, or required at the same time and so although some can be made up in small batches, a large number are made up individually to meet the needs of the patient.