Why don't they make a cortef elixir instead of a cortef supsension?

 

From my understanding, the liquid cortef that was recalled was a suspension---a thick, gummy liquid that is held together by a binding agent called an emulsifier.   I also understand that it was the problem with the emulsifier that caused the product to be faulty.  So why don't they eliminate the emulsifier altogether and make a cortef elixir, instead?  Elixirs are liquids that don't contain emulsifiers. 

 

I don't know why certain products are made into suspensions and others into elixirs, but, obviously, you must be able to do both with the same base drug.  Children's Tylenol, for example, comes in both elixir and suspension form.  The elixir is the infant formula, and the suspension is used for the older kids.  In the case of Tylenol, the elixir is much more concentrated, but so what? You just have to be a bit more careful with the measuring.

 

My son takes an elixir form of dexamethasone.  Expecially because of the strength of dex, using a liquid, which allows the close titration that Julie H. is talking about, is critical to using the medication successfully.  We measure doses via syringe, and are able to get down to increments as small as 0.01 mg of dex, which is the same as breaking a 5 mg. cortef pill into 6-1/4 equal pieces (something that I think would be pretty difficult to achieve.) 

 

If this is possible, it seems like it would be preferable to coming up with a pill in a smaller increment---doses could be as closely titrated as needed to tailor-fit each child.  Also, because you would be dealing with only one product, it seems like the possibility for error---e. g. getting different doses of pills mixed up or juggling 5-6 (or more?!) different pills everyday (not to mention the florinef pills, in addition!)---would be greatly lessened.  A thought to bring to the pharmaceutical companies??