Doctoral Thesis on Extemporaneous Preparations In Pharmacies in Latvia: Assessment of the Situation And Future Perspectives

Extemporaneous medicines (ex tempore – from Latin meaning done with little or no preparation) are prepared in pharmacies according to a doctor's prescription. Before Olga Kiseļova's doctoral thesis there was no comprehensive information available on what extemporaneous medicines are prescribed in Latvia, which specialists prescribe them, or what the sales of these medicines are in different regions of Latvia.

The aim of the doctoral thesis is to evaluate the regulatory framework of the medicines and their prevalence, to compile and analyse the range of extemporaneous prescriptions in Latvian pharmacies and compare them to standardised prescriptions in Germany, the USA, and Australia, and to create practical recommendations for improving the quality of medicines prepared in Latvian pharmacies and the further development of this industry.

The thesis shows that medicines are prepared in all regions of Latvia. The pharmacies included in the study received the most frequent prescriptions for extemporal medicines from dermatovenerologists, general practitioners, and otolaryngologists. The prescriptions written by Latvian doctors used both active substances and excipients currently used elsewhere in the world and active substances the use of which is restricted in Germany, the USA, and Australia and only allowed in exceptional cases.

The results of the doctoral thesis can be used for educating healthcare professionals regarding safe prescription, manufacturing and issuing extemporaneous medicines, and to develop standardised formulations in Latvia.

Olga Kiseļova will defend her doctoral thesis “Availability of Extemporaneous Preparations in Pharmacies in Latvia: a Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of the Situation and Future Perspectives” on 8 April 2022.

Further information

Scientific supervisor: RSU Associate Professor Baiba Mauriņa

RSU Dissertation Catalogue