title: Gluten content of medications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The establishment of a database for the identification of the presence of gluten in excipients of prescription medications is described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While resources are available to ascertain the gluten content of a given medication, these resources are incomplete and often do not contain a source and date of contact. The drug information service (DIS) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) determined that directly contacting the manufacturer of a product is the best method to determine the gluten content of medications. The DIS sought to establish a resource for use within the institution and create directions for obtaining this information from manufacturers to ensure uniformity of the data collected. To determine the gluten content of a medication, the DIS analyzed the manufacturer's package insert to identify any statement indicating that the product contained gluten or inactive ingredients from known sources of gluten. If there was any question about the source of an inactive ingredient or if no information about gluten content appeared in the package insert, the manufacturer of the particular formulation of the queried medication was contacted to provide clarification. Manufacturers' responses were collected, and medications were categorized as "gluten free," "contains gluten," or "possibly contains gluten." To date, the DIS at RWJUH has received queries about 84 medications and has cataloged their gluten content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DIS at RWJUH developed a database that categorizes the gluten status of medications, allowing clinicians to easily identify drugs that are safe for patients with celiac disease.
authors.affiliation: Joseph E. Cruz, Pharm.D., is Postgraduate Year 2 Drug Information Resident, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ. Craig Cocchio, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), New Brunswick, NJ. Pak Tsun Lai is Pharm.D. Student, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University. Evelyn Hermes-DeSantis, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Director, Drug Information Services, RWJUH.
authors.forename: Joseph E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Joseph E. Cruz, Pharm.D., is Postgraduate Year 2 Drug Information Resident, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ. Craig Cocchio, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), New Brunswick, NJ. Pak Tsun Lai is Pharm.D. Student, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University. Evelyn Hermes-DeSantis, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Director, Drug Information Services, RWJUH. craig.cocchio@pharmacy.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cocchio
authors.affiliation: Joseph E. Cruz, Pharm.D., is Postgraduate Year 2 Drug Information Resident, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ. Craig Cocchio, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), New Brunswick, NJ. Pak Tsun Lai is Pharm.D. Student, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University. Evelyn Hermes-DeSantis, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Director, Drug Information Services, RWJUH.
authors.forename: Pak Tsun
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Joseph E. Cruz, Pharm.D., is Postgraduate Year 2 Drug Information Resident, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ. Craig Cocchio, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), New Brunswick, NJ. Pak Tsun Lai is Pharm.D. Student, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University. Evelyn Hermes-DeSantis, Pharm.D., BCPS, is Clinical Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, and Director, Drug Information Services, RWJUH.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hermes-DeSantis
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D062313:Databases, Pharmaceutical; D004345:Drug Industry; D004348:Drug Labeling; D005079:Excipients / Q000737:chemistry*; D005983:Glutens / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005079:Excipients; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D005983:Glutens