A.i · Pharmaceutics

Official V4 objective

Describe the pharmaceutics and formulation of drugs including packaging, formulation, isomerism, compatibility, and excipients (additives) as they pertain to level 1 drugs.

1 SAQ topic 1 SAQ appearance 1 VIVA station

Current · V5 (2025) → B3.vii Current · V5 (2025) → D7.i

Written examination

SAQ history

1 appearance

Enantiomerism

1 exam appearance

2012B Q20

What are drug enantiomers? (20% of marks). Explain the clinical relevance of enantiomerism (60% of marks). Give a clinically relevant example (20% of marks).

41%

Oral examination

VIVA history

1 station

2019A · Day 1 · VIVA 7
This viva is about adrenaline and basic pharmacology. An ampoule of adrenaline contains the active drug and excipients (additives). What is the role of the excipient?

95% successful

Sources: objective text from the relevant CICM syllabus; historical SAQ and VIVA wording from CICM examiner reports.