Home CPD Preventing harm: medicine safety in children

Preventing harm: medicine safety in children

CPD

July 25, 2025

CPD credits

Accreditation Number : CAP2508SYPSH

Group 1 : 0.75 CPD credits

Group 2 : 1.5 CPD credits

This activity has been accredited for 0.75 hours of Group 1 CPD (or 0.75 CPD credits) suitable for inclusion in an individual pharmacist's CPD plan, which can be converted to 0.75 hours of Group 2 CPD (or 1.5 CPD credits) upon successful completion of relevant assessment activities.

Case scenario

Joyce, 76, lives independently and takes seven regular medicines with various dosing frequencies. She struggles to manage her medicines, especially with frequent brand changes due to supply issues. To help herself remember, Joyce recently began placing her daily tablets in a dish on the kitchen bench. During a visit, her 6-year-old grandson mistook the tablets for lollies and was about to swallow them when he was stopped just in time. Joyce is shaken by the incident and distressed by what could have happened.

After reading this article, pharmacists should be able to:

Identify common risks associated with medicine use in children
Describe the pharmacist’s role in promoting medicine safety in children
Discuss risk-reduction strategies with medicine use in children.

Competency standards (2016) addressed: 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 2.2, 3.1, 3.5

Accreditation number: CAP2508SYPSH

Accreditation expiry: 31/07/2028

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ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

ACT³	No comparable criteria
NSW⁴	· pharmacist gives the person an opportunity to seek advice as to the use of the substance · quantity, or for a purpose must accord with the recognised therapeutic standard of what is appropriate in the circumstances
NT⁵	· pharmacist must not intentionally supply to a person in a manner reckless to their circumstance
QLD⁶	· pharmacist reasonably believes the patient has a therapeutic need
SA	No comparable criteria
TAS⁷	· pharmacist forms the opinion use in the treatment of the patient is justified on consideration of the condition, disease or symptoms of the person
VIC⁸	· for treatment of a patient under pharmacist’s care · pharmacist has taken all reasonable steps to ensure a therapeutic need exists
WA⁹	No comparable criteria

1. PBS co‑payment will drop

2. Transition to the new MMR credential must be completed

3. Continued freeze on PBS concessional co‑payment

4. Optional allowable discount phase out continues

5. New PSA standards for CPD accreditation launch

Is advance provision of S3s legal?

But don’t we need to assess a patient’s therapeutic need?

So when is advanced supply of S3 OK?

What other things do I need to consider?

So what about the Rikodeine?

Table 1 – Legal requirements for pharmacists when prescribing Schedule 3 medicines

References

What motivated you to seek election as the next PSA National President?

What do you hope to achieve as PSA President?

Why do you feel this is such a pivotal moment for PSA and the profession?

What are the major challenges pharmacists are facing right now?

How do you see the profession evolving in 5 years?

How have your background and previous experiences shaped your views of the profession?

Case scenario

Learning objectives

Introduction

Aetiology and pathophysiology

Clinical features

Diagnosis, differential diagnosis and prognosis

Management and treatment

Knowledge to practice

Conclusion

Case scenario continued

Key points

References

Our authors

Our reviewer

Conflict of interest declaration

1. PBS co‑payment will drop

2. Transition to the new MMR credential must be completed

3. Continued freeze on PBS concessional co‑payment

4. Optional allowable discount phase out continues

5. New PSA standards for CPD accreditation launch

Is advance provision of S3s legal?

But don’t we need to assess a patient’s therapeutic need?

So when is advanced supply of S3 OK?

What other things do I need to consider?

So what about the Rikodeine?

Table 1 – Legal requirements for pharmacists when prescribing Schedule 3 medicines

References

What motivated you to seek election as the next PSA National President?

What do you hope to achieve as PSA President?

Why do you feel this is such a pivotal moment for PSA and the profession?

What are the major challenges pharmacists are facing right now?

How do you see the profession evolving in 5 years?

How have your background and previous experiences shaped your views of the profession?

Case scenario

Learning objectives

Introduction

Aetiology and pathophysiology

Clinical features

Diagnosis, differential diagnosis and prognosis

Management and treatment

Knowledge to practice

Conclusion

Case scenario continued

Key points

References

Our authors

Our reviewer

Conflict of interest declaration

1. PBS co‑payment will drop

2. Transition to the new MMR credential must be completed

3. Continued freeze on PBS concessional co‑payment

4. Optional allowable discount phase out continues

5. New PSA standards for CPD accreditation launch

Is advance provision of S3s legal?

But don’t we need to assess a patient’s therapeutic need?

So when is advanced supply of S3 OK?

What other things do I need to consider?

So what about the Rikodeine?

Table 1 – Legal requirements for pharmacists when prescribing Schedule 3 medicines

References

What motivated you to seek election as the next PSA National President?

What do you hope to achieve as PSA President?