Continuous presentation: unbounded by container

Continuous presentation: unbounded by container

Examples: bulk powders and granules, bulk liquids, semi-solids

These presentations are not particularly bound by their container in any way that is meaningful in terms of their use or administration; the Manufactured Item is a continuous presentation and almost all are used in individually calculated and variable amounts.

  • For example,

    • Hydrocortisone cream for cutaneous use is contained in a tube, but its use is based on how much is squeezed out and applied to the skin. 

    • Chloramphenicol eye drops are presented in a dropper bottle, but they are administered drop by drop and although the dropper bottle aims to deliver a roughly uniform sized drop to the eye, they are not "metered dose containers" in the way that containers with valves are.

A unit of presentation is not usually given for these products. The pack size (not relevant for SNOMED international model) is given as the Manufactured Item quantity.
Strength is expressed as a concentration and as such the presentation strength and the concentration are exactly the same.

Example 1: A 30g tube of hydrocortisone 1% cutaneous cream w/w in an outer box

Manufactured dose form

Cutaneous cream

 

Unit of presentation

NOT VALUED

There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"

[Pack size]

30 g in the tube,1 tube in the box

 

Precise active ingredient

hydrocortisone

 

Basis of strength substance

hydrocortisone

 

Presentation strength (logical)

300 mg per 30 g

Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength

Presentation strength

 

 

Concentration strength

10 mg per 1 g

Synonym: 1.0 % w/w

 

Example 2: A bottle of 5 mL of chloramphenicol eye drops 0.5% w/v in an outer box

Manufactured dose form

Eye drops, solution

 

Unit of presentation

NOT VALUED

There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"

[Pack size]

5 ml in the dropper bottle,1 bottle in the box

 

Precise active ingredient

chloramphenicol

 

Basis of strength substance

chloramphenicol

 

Presentation strength (logical)

25 mg per 5 mL

Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength

Presentation strength

 

 

Concentration strength

5 mg per 1 mL

Synonym: 0.5 % w/v

 

Example 3: A pack of 500g of sterculia 62% w/w granules (EDQM –"granules" = "oral granules")

Manufactured dose form

Oral granules

 

Unit of presentation

NOT VALUED

There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"

[Pack size]

500 g in the box

 

Precise active ingredient

sterculia

 

Basis of strength substance

sterculia

 

Presentation strength (logical)

310 g per 500 g

Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength

Presentation strength

 

 

Concentration strength

620 mg per 1 g

Synonym: 62 % w/w

 

 

Example 4: A bottle of 60 mL of digoxin oral solution 50mcg/mL in an outer box (which has an oral syringe in it)

Manufactured dose form

Oral solution

 

Unit of presentation

NOT VALUED

There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"

[Pack size]

60 ml in the bottle,1 bottle in the box

 

Precise active ingredient

digoxin

 

Basis of strength substance

digoxin

 

Presentation strength (logical)

3 mg per 60 mL

Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength

Presentation strength

 

 

Concentration strength

50 mcg per 1 mL

Synonym: 0.5 % w/v

 

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