Interpretation and reflections on “technical specifications for dispensing commonly used Chinese patent medicines in clinical emergency and critical care, part 5: granules” (T/CACM 1378.1-2022)

Chinese patent medicine granules are widely used in emergency and critical care; however, their dispensing practices have long been challenged by the lack of unified technical specifications, insufficient implementation of syndrome-based prescription review, inadequate medication guidance, and incomplete monitoring of special populations. To address these problems, the Technical Specifications for Dispensing Commonly Used Chinese Patent Medicines in Clinical Emergency and Critical Care , Part 5: Granules (T/CACM 1378.5-2022), Specifications for short, were developed. This paper provides an interpretation of the core contents of the Specifications, systematically elaborating the technical requirements and standardized procedures across three key stages, i.e ., prescription review, dispensing, and medication monitoring. The analysis highlights the practical value of the Specifications in enhancing pharmacists’ professional competence, promoting the standardization of dispensing practices, and ensuring medication safety for patients in emergency and critical care. In addition, this paper identifies potential challenges in implementation, including variability in pharmacists’ competencies and limitations in information system support. Overall, the Specifications provide an essential foundation for establishing a safe, standardized, and efficient dispensing system for Chinese patent medicine granules in emergency and critical care.