Illustrative neonatal cases regarding drug delivery issues

<p> The process of intravenous drug administration to the newborn is both technically and pharmacologically challenging. In these small and immature patients, pharmacokinetic parameters are poorly understood and many medications suffer from a limited evidence base regarding their administration. Premature neonates are a difficult group to study and in this population, the availability of medicines is limited, efficacy often remains untested and a large number of medicines are given off&hyphen;licence. Aside from these factors, it is worth considering the practical aspects of how to deliver and use medications to ensure that patients receive their full benefit while minimising adverse effects.</p>