Chinese patent medicines exhibit significant clinical value in the management of emergency and critical care conditions. The development of technical specifications for the dispensing of such medicines in emergency and critical care settings represents a key endeavor in advancing the development of pharmaceutical care services. Currently, the limited scope of research, non-standardized dispensing procedures, and a shortage of specialized dispensing personnel constitute major challenges constraining the high-quality development of the field of Chinese patent medicines for emergency and critical care. Capsules are used in large quantities, with an annual usage showing an increasing trend. However, the wide variety and extensive scope of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) capsules present challenges in clinical application and dispensing. The group standard “ Technical Specifications for Dispensing Commonly Used Chinese Patent Medicines in Clinical Emergency and Critical Care-Part 4: Capsules ” (T/CACM 1378.4-2022, hereinafter referred to as the Specifications) was jointly issued by the China Association of Chinese Medicine and formulated under the leadership of Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine. This standard contributes to guiding the development of dispensing technical specifications for commonly used Chinese patent medicine capsules in emergency and critical care. The Specifications standardize pharmacists’ prescription review of capsule-form Chinese patent medicines prescribed by physicians in emergency and critical care departments, as well as the dispensing and guidance on rational use of these capsules, thereby standardizing the dispensing and utilization of Chinese patent medicines.
Zhao et al. (Tue,) studied this question.