Continuous presentation: unbounded by container

This Editorial Guide is used for Education Purposes Only. It is used in the Authoring Courses and Certifications. It is based on the January 2026 Editorial Guide.

Examples: bulk powders and granules, bulk liquids, semi-solids

These presentations are not particularly bound by their container in any way that is meaningful in terms of their use or administration; the Manufactured Item is a continuous presentation and almost all are used in individually calculated and variable amounts.

For example,

• Hydrocortisone cream for cutaneous use is contained in a tube, but its use is based on how much is squeezed out and applied to the skin.

• Chloramphenicol eye drops are presented in a dropper bottle, but they are administered drop by drop and although the dropper bottle aims to deliver a roughly uniform sized drop to the eye, they are not "metered dose containers" in the way that containers with valves are.

A unit of presentation is not usually given for these products. The pack size (not relevant for SNOMED international model) is given as the Manufactured Item quantity. Strength is expressed as a concentration and as such the presentation strength and the concentration are exactly the same.

Example: A 30g tube of hydrocortisone 1% cutaneous cream w/w in an outer box

Manufactured dose form	Cutaneous cream
Unit of presentation	NOT VALUED	There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"
[Pack size]	30 g in the tube,1 tube in the box
Precise active ingredient	hydrocortisone
Basis of strength substance	hydrocortisone
Presentation strength (logical)	300 mg per 30 g	Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength
Presentation strength
Concentration strength	10 mg per 1 g	Synonym: 1.0 % w/w

Example: A bottle of 5 mL of chloramphenicol eye drops 0.5% w/v in an outer box

Manufactured dose form	Eye drops, solution
Unit of presentation	NOT VALUED	There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"
[Pack size]	5 ml in the dropper bottle,1 bottle in the box
Precise active ingredient	chloramphenicol
Basis of strength substance	chloramphenicol
Presentation strength (logical)	25 mg per 5 mL	Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength
Presentation strength
Concentration strength	5 mg per 1 mL	Synonym: 0.5 % w/v

Example: A pack of 500g of sterculia 62% w/w granules (EDQM –"granules" = "oral granules")

Manufactured dose form	Oral granules
Unit of presentation	NOT VALUED	There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"
[Pack size]	500 g in the box
Precise active ingredient	sterculia
Basis of strength substance	sterculia
Presentation strength (logical)	310 g per 500 g	Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength
Presentation strength
Concentration strength	620 mg per 1 g	Synonym: 62 % w/w

Example: A bottle of 60 mL of digoxin oral solution 50mcg/mL in an outer box (which has an oral syringe in it)

Manufactured dose form	Oral solution
Unit of presentation	NOT VALUED	There is nothing that really "bounds" the dose form that delivers the medication "per dose"
[Pack size]	60 ml in the bottle, 1 bottle in the box
Precise active ingredient	digoxin
Basis of strength substance	digoxin
Presentation strength (logical)	3 mg per 60 mL	Not a clinically safe or recognisable expression of strength
Presentation strength
Concentration strength	50 mcg per 1 mL	Synonym: 0.5 % w/v

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