A topical bioadhesive film-forming pharmaceutical composition for application directly to skin or to a substrate, wherein the substrate is a backing material, comprising: (a) a therapeutic amount of an active agent at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 60% w/w; (b) a non-cellulosic polymer or copolymer present at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 30% w/w, wherein the non-cellulosic polymer or copolymer is a poloxamer; (c) a film forming agent present at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 80% w/w, wherein the film forming agent is polyvinyl alcohol; (d) a plasticizer present at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 20% w/w; (e) an antioxidant present at a concentration ranging from 0.1 % to 10% w/w; and (f) a hydroalcoholic solvent present at a concentration ranging from 10% to 90% w/v, wherein the hydroalcoholic solvent contains water and an alcohol; wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of phthalic anhydride esters, esters of adipic acid, epoxidized esters, trimellitic esters, triacetin, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, glycerol formaldehyde, triethyl citrate, acetyltributylcitrate, acetyl triethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, trimethyl citrate, other citrate esters, sorbitol, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, glycerol monoacetate, diacetate or polysorbate, or sodium diethylsulfosuccinate; the antioxidant is selected from ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and its salts, ascorbyl esters of fatty acids, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl sorbate, tocopherol (vitamin E), tocopherol sorbate, tocopherol acetate, other esters of tocopherol, butylated hydroxyl benzoic acids and their salts, 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid, gallic acid and its alkyl esters, especially propyl gallate, uric acid and its salts and alkyl esters, sorbic acid and its salts, lipoic acid, amines (e.g., N,N-diethylhydroxylamine, amino-guanidine), sulfhydryl compounds (e.g., glutathione), dihydroxy fumaric acid and its salts, glycine pidolate, arginine pilolate, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, bioflavonoids, curcumin, lysine, methionine, proline, superoxide dismutase, silymarin, tea extracts, grape skin/seed extracts, melanin, rosemary extracts, ascorbic acid esters, carotenes, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, and cysteine; the composition being characterized by controlled release of a locally sustained level of a minimum effective concentration of the active agent and formation of a film in situ; and the resulting film being characterized by: A. its maintenance of sustained levels of the active agent locally or systemically; B. its conformance to a surface of the skin without breaking, C. its pliability; and D. its removability without leaving a substantial residue. (a) a therapeutic amount of an active agent at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 60% w/w; (b) a non-cellulosic polymer or copolymer present at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 30% w/w, wherein the non-cellulosic polymer or copolymer is a poloxamer; (c) a film forming agent present at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 80% w/w, wherein the film forming agent is polyvinyl alcohol; (d) a plasticizer present at a concentration ranging from 1 % to 20% w/w; (e) an antioxidant present at a concentration ranging from 0.1 % to 10% w/w; and (f) a hydroalcoholic solvent present at a concentration ranging from 10% to 90% w/v, wherein the hydroalcoholic solvent contains water and an alcohol; the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of phthalic anhydride esters, esters of adipic acid, epoxidized esters, trimellitic esters, triacetin, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, glycerol formaldehyde, triethyl citrate, acetyltributylcitrate, acetyl triethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, trimethyl citrate, other citrate esters, sorbitol, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, glycerol monoacetate, diacetate or polysorbate, or sodium diethylsulfosuccinate; the antioxidant is selected from ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and its salts, ascorbyl esters of fatty acids, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl sorbate, tocopherol (vitamin E), tocopherol sorbate, tocopherol acetate, other esters of tocopherol, butylated hydroxyl benzoic acids and their salts, 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid, gallic acid and its alkyl esters, especially propyl gallate, uric acid and its salts and alkyl esters, sorbic acid and its salts, lipoic acid, amines (e.g., N,N-diethylhydroxylamine, amino-guanidine), sulfhydryl compounds (e.g., glutathione), dihydroxy fumaric acid and its salts, glycine pidolate, arginine pilolate, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, bioflavonoids, curcumin, lysine, methionine, proline, superoxide dismutase, silymarin, tea extracts, grape skin/seed extracts, melanin, rosemary extracts, ascorbic acid esters, carotenes, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, and cysteine; the composition being characterized by controlled release of a locally sustained level of a minimum effective concentration of the active agent and formation of a film in situ; and the resulting film being characterized by: A. its maintenance of sustained levels of the active agent locally or systemically; B. its conformance to a surface of the skin without breaking, C. its pliability; and D. its removability without leaving a substantial residue. A. its maintenance of sustained levels of the active agent locally or systemically; B. its conformance to a surface of the skin without breaking, C. its pliability; and D. its removability without leaving a substantial residue.