Drug compliance of children and infants with oral antibiotics for pediatric use

Many oral antibiotics recently available for pediatric use are palatable and easier for children to take owing to the manufacturer's endeavor to improve the preparations. Quite a few drugs, however, still have some problems because they contain bitter active ingredients such as ester-type beta-lactams and new macrolides. In the present paper, the current status of physicians' prescriptions are discussed, together with the guardians' contrivances for giving prescribed drugs to children and infants, and the drug compliance of pediatric patients. They are discussed in relation to the palatability or internal acceptability of the drugs, which is as important as the drug efficacy and safety. Also discussed are the physicians' countermeasures and guidance to cope with the drug non-compliance of pediatric patients.