John Blythe, Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Why are we ethical?
Rosemont Pharmaceuticals manufactures Specials, which are specially prepared, unlicensed medicines, prescribed when a licensed product is not available. A Special may be an unusual formulation or strength; it may be a preservative or additive-free product or a licensed product, which is temporarily unavailable. We are an ethical pharmaceutical company as we only manufacture and supply prescription-only medicines. We care about the quality of our products and strive for continual improvement.
What standards do we adhere to?
Rosemont Pharmaceuticals strictly adheres to the spirit and the letter of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in the production of both licensed medicines and Specials. The company's manufacturing facility and conformance to GMP is regularly inspected by regulatory authorities and we hold a Specials Manufacturers Licence in the UK.
Rosemont’s Specials are a quality assured alternative to extemporaneously prepared medicines or in-house manufactured Specials .Our liquid medicines typically have a shelf-life of 6- 9 months or more which saves additional preparation costs in time and resources. Rosemont’s Specials are manufactured from raw, active ingredients and excipients following a specially developed formulation for each product. We do not crush, dissolve or suspend tablets to produce our Specials and all production is undertaken to the same rigorous standards as our licensed medicines.
Why are we useful to society?
There is an increasingly ageing population and research suggests that older patients are more likely to have difficulties swallowing solid dose medications, often as a result of age-related illnesses. The Disability Discrimination Act (2005 as amended) means that, by law, the most appropriate formulation of medication must be supplied to any patient with a long-term swallowing difficulty, and in many cases this may be a liquid. For example 40% of stroke patients have swallowing difficulties and a liquid medicine may be the only way of administering vital medication for these patients. Compliance with diabetes medication is worryingly low, meaning that patients risk potentially life-threatening diabetes-related illnesses, supplying a liquid version of the first line treatment for type 2 diabetes may help improve compliance with treatment and prevent adverse clinical events associated with uncontrolled diabetes.
How can we be seen as dynamic?
Healthcare professionals and patients alike now expect solid medications to be available as a liquid when required. As a consequence of this increased demand, Rosemont is constantly working to develop an ever increasing range of liquid medicines.
Rosemont employs a state-of-the-art water system as water is an essential component of liquid medicines.The recent introduction of a cold-chain handling facility now allows Rosemont to manufacture products that in the past have been difficult to ensure satisfactory shelf lives, making it easier for Pharmacists to order and maintain stocks without them going out of expiry date.
We also support healthcare professionals with a wide range of training materials and events covering the issues of medicines management and dysphagia. Included in the support package are: a medicines management dvd, a booklet written by a pharmacist, training sessions, a liquid formulary and a protocol written for administering medicines to people with swallowing difficulties. All of these educational materials have been written independently by healthcare professionals and are updated regularly.
How are we patient focussed?
Many patients, particularly the elderly and the very young, have difficulties swallowing solid dose forms of their medicines and with increasing awareness about the potential dangers of crushing tablets or opening capsules, the demand for liquid alternatives, such as those supplied by Rosemont, has seen a significant increase.
We have improved our packaging for easy identification by patients, we constantly aim to make our liquid medicines as palatable as possible for patients and aim to minimise the volume of liquid a patient needs to swallow.
There is a patient information section on the Rosemont website which can be accessed at: www.rosemontpharma.com
Why are we reputable?
Rosemont adheres to specially developed formulations for our Specials, supported by batch records and stability testing. This allows for exact reproducibility of products from batch to batch and fully supported shelf lives most of which are 9 months or more. Patients treated with Rosemont liquids receive consistency in their medication.
Rosemont guarantees delivery within 48 hours for over 99% of orders, with a 24-hour delivery service available on request and a 24 hour medical information line available for healthcare professionals.
Our Specials price list is published and available to Pharmacists on request. Rosemont’s expertise lies in liquid medicines and we are continually expanding the range of medicines we offer as liquids and actively invite healthcare professionals to tell us which products they require in this format so we can continue to meet their needs.
The Association of Commercial Specials Manufacturers Limited. Registered in England and Wales, Company number 05015111, Unit 1, Regents Drive, Lower Prudhoe Industrial Estate, Prudhoe, Northumberland, NE42 6PX. Copyright 2009 ACSM, All rights reserved. Terms of Use