Clinical guidelines recommend switching from intravenous to oral antibiotics in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) once patients are clinically stable because it is safe and cost-effective. However, studies have reported low switching rates in clinical practice. This study aimed to assess current switch practices in the real-world setting.

The healthcare sector produces significant amounts of waste and harmful substances and consumes large amounts of energy; hence, it is also involved in the move towards sustainability. Plastics are everywhere in hospitals (especially in medical devices used for infusion) and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The objective was to review the scientific literature on ways of making in-hospital infusion practices more environmentally friendly.

Nefopam is a non-opioid analgesic used for postoperative pain control. For intravenous home use, a portable elastomeric device is often preferred for administration. The nefopam in the device must be stable at 32°C because this device is positioned close to the patient.

To assess the container closure integrity of needle-free Closed System Transfer Device (CSTD) components (ChemoClave and ChemoLock) combined with Luer-Lock (LL) syringes and IV bags as a terminal closure/access device. The UK NHS Yellow Cover Document (YCD) requires containment data for final storage devices of aseptic chemotherapy drugs when prepared in advance in pharmaceutical technical services (PTS). Assessment of both physical and microbial integrity of all combinations was performed: syringe adapter/LL syringes and vented bag adaptor/IV bags. All container combinations were subject to an additional vibrational challenge, with three-axis vibrational data logging representing a typical transportation excursion.

Upon admission to the hospital, patients' home medications are often substituted with those from the hospital formulary. An alternative is Patients' Own Medication (POM), allowing patients to bring their own medications from home. If POM runs out or new medications are prescribed, the hospital supplies identical medications for use after discharge. This may cause an imbalance between the home and hospital medication budgets. Using POM in the hospital results in overpayment from the home medication budget. In contrast, using hospital-provided medication after discharge results in overpayment from the hospital medication budget. This imbalance could hinder the implementation of POM. However, hospitals can adjust the amount of medication supplied to offset overpayment from the home medication budget. Therefore, this study simulates the impact of two medication supply strategies on the balance between overpaid costs from the home and hospital medication budgets.

To evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological stability of preservative-free losartan potassium (LP) eye drops (0.8 mg/mL) prepared using balanced salt solution (BSS), normal saline (NS) or glucose saline (GS) and stored in sterile polypropylene eye drop bottles under different temperature conditions for 30 days.

Clinical pharmacy care in German hospitals has recently evolved, driven by digitalisation and legal reforms. The only comprehensive overview of clinical pharmacy care in Germany was published in 2019. The current survey aims to update and describe the status quo of clinical pharmacy services in Germany, highlighting developments in this field since the previous publication.

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are used in clinical settings for mid- to long-term intravenous therapies, including chemotherapy and antibiotics. However, their use involves risks such as infections, thrombosis or occlusions. Pharmacist-led analysis and validation of PICC requests aims to optimise their use and reduce complications. This study evaluates the sustainability of pharmacist-led PICC analysis and validation in a university hospital and investigates the organisation of PICC management in French healthcare institutions.

Tazobactam/piperacillin (TAZ/PIPC), widely used for treating various infections, is often discontinued due to hypokalaemia, although the preventive measures remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the incidence, clinical characteristics and associated risk factors for TAZ/PIPC-induced hypokalaemia.

The administration of solid drugs via enteral feeding tubes is a common practice in hospitals. However, there is a paucity of literature about the stability of the drug and its interaction with medical devices. This study evaluated the sorption and content of furosemide tablets when administered through an enteral feeding tube, simulating a hospital clinical protocol.

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and, more recently, weight management. Due to its efficacy in weight loss, semaglutide has gained worldwide popularity, particularly the branded version Ozempic, resulting in off-label use by people seeking rapid weight loss. The resulting high demand has led to an increase in falsified products sold by unregulated online marketplaces. We present a case of a 31-year-old woman who was admitted to the emergency room in a hypoglycaemic coma after self-administrating semaglutide (Ozempic) obtained from a website. Toxicological analysis showed that the vial contained insulin instead of semaglutide, therefore leading to severe hypoglycaemia. This case highlights the growing concern regarding falsified medicines sold in the online drug market and the associated risk of severe adverse events. We reported the case to the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and local authorities. We propose regulatory measures to mitigate similar incidents in the future.

This study uses bibliometric analysis to systematically map research trends, knowledge structure and evolution of information technology (IT) in hospital antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) over the last 20 years.

To explore the relationship between vedolizumab trough concentrations and clinical and biochemical remission in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) receiving maintenance therapy, analysing intravenous and subcutaneous administration separately in a real-world clinical setting.