-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
Letters were sent about Xeljanz▼ (tofacitinib), ranitidine, Nulojix (belatacept), fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Genvoya▼, Stribild▼, Tybost, and belimumab (Benlysta▼). Drug alerts were issued about Accord losartan potassium c…
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
Insufficient evidence to confirm a link between oral bisphosphonate use and an increased risk of oesophageal cancer.
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
Measure serum immunoglobulin levels if recurrent infections develop. Consider bronchiectasis or pulmonary fibrosis if patients develop persistent respiratory symptoms.
-
There is no known interaction between oseltamivir and aspirin but aspirin must not be given to anyone younger than 16 year.
-
Recent epidemiological studies suggest exposure to ondansetron during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with a small increased risk of the baby having a cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
-
Letters were sent about ellaOne, ERWINASE, Eperzan▼, Ocaliva▼, Velcade, Esmya, and Bleo-Kyowa.
-
Old pipette design withdrawn after reported eye injuries.
-
Atypical femoral fractures reported rarely with bisphosphonate therapy, mainly in patients receiving long-term treatment for osteoporosis.
-
N-acetylcysteine may interfere with assays from Siemens ADVIA Chemistry and Dimension/Dimension Vista instruments, leading to false-low biochemistry test results.
-
Cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy have been reported in patients taking dimethyl fumarate for multiple sclerosis, who all had prolonged lymphopenia.
-
…Letters were sent about Buccolam (midazolam), misoprostol vaginal delivery system (Mysodelle), noradrenaline, Relenza (zanamivir), mycophenolate mofetil/mycophenolic acid, Flolan, and Fludara.…
-
Updated contraindications and maximum dose recommendations when taken with a number of other medicines.
-
Caution is required if prescribing febuxostat in patients with pre-existing major cardiovascular disease, particularly, in those with evidence of high urate crystal and tophi burden or those initiating urate-lowering therapy…
-
Tazocin (piperacillin/tazobactam) has been reformulated to meet European Pharmacopoeia requirements on particle size.
-
Letters were sent about alemtuzumab (Lemtrada), Selenase (sodium selenite pentahydrate), and Erelzi▼ (etanercept).
-
The maximum recommended dose for simvastatin in conjunction with amlodipine and diltiazem is now 20 mg/day.
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines, and a recent National Patient Safety Alert highlighting the risk of deaths and serious injuries from entrapment or falls relatin…
-
Preliminary HPS2-THRIVE trial failed to show benefit outweighs risks
-
MHRA has received a small number of reports suggesting lack of efficacy (thromboembolic events) in patients taking 15 mg or 20 mg rivaroxaban on an empty stomach; remind patients to take 15 mg or 20 mg rivaroxaban tablets wi…
-
Disabling, long-lasting or potentially irreversible adverse reactions affecting musculoskeletal and nervous systems have been reported very rarely with fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Fluoroquinolone treatment should be discont…
-
Alerts were issued about Rocket and NuSurgix fetal blood sampling (FBS) amnioscopes and kits, Philips Efficia professional-use defibrillators/monitors, and CME T-34 3rd edition syringe driver pumps. A notice was also issued …
-
Use restricted to adults with advanced or metastatic breast cancer only.
-
Information on the newly launched Safer Medicines in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Consortium and a new report on optimising data on medicines used during pregnancy.
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
-
Reporting suspected adverse reactions experienced by the woman or child associated with medicines taken during pregnancy.
-
…Alerts were issued about ranitidine, paracetamol, omeprazole, mitomycin-C Kyowa, folic acid, and Emerade adrenaline auto-injectors.…
-
Fatal cases of tumour lysis syndrome (TLS) have been reported, some occurring in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia receiving the lowest venetoclax dose used in the dose-titration schedule. For all patients, it is i…
-
Dental examination and appropriate preventive dentistry should be considered before treatment, especially for patients also treated with an intravenous bisphosphonate.
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
-
Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the November 2021 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 3 December 2021.
-
A recent Europe-wide review of the safety information for alli has led to a number of updates, which bring the product information in line with that for Xenical.
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices, and a recent National Patient Safety Alert asking organisations to put a plan in place to implement new regu…
-
Use baricitinib with caution in patients with diverticular disease and in those concomitantly treated with medications associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis.
-
Report to the Yellow Card Scheme suspected adverse reactions associated with medicines taken during pregnancy experienced by women or the baby or child. Obstetricians and midwives have a particularly important role in provid…
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
A new study has suggested pregabalin may slightly increase the risk of major congenital malformations if used in pregnancy. Patients should continue to use effective contraception during treatment and avoid use in pregnancy …
-
A review of the risks of major congenital malformations and of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes for antiepileptic drugs by the Commission on Human Medicines has confirmed that lamotrigine (Lamictal) and levetiracetam (Kep…
-
Monitoring for encephalitis should continue for 12 months following discontinuation of daclizumab. Inform all patients who have discontinued daclizumab and their caregivers of the common symptoms of encephalitis and the need…
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
Updated guidance on minimising risk of life-threatening and fatal air embolism.
-
Systemic fluoroquinolones must now only be prescribed when other commonly recommended antibiotics are inappropriate. This follows a review by the MHRA which looked at the effectiveness of current measures to reduce the ident…
-
Ongoing patient survey data suggest that more effort is needed by clinicians to achieve full and timely compliance with the valproate Pregnancy Prevention Programme and meet the goal to rapidly reduce and eventually eliminat…
-
Modafinil potentially increases the risk of congenital malformations when used in pregnancy. Modafinil should not be used during pregnancy and women of childbearing potential must use effective contraception during treatment…
-
If a patient reports persistent symptoms when switching between different levothyroxine tablet formulations, consider consistently prescribing a specific product known to be well tolerated by the patient. If symptoms or poor…
-
Healthcare professionals prescribing fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, delafloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin) are reminded to be alert to the risk of disabling and potentially long-lasting or irrevers…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
-
Review by two specialists remains in place for patients initiating valproate under 55 years of age but the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has advised that it will not be required for men (or males) currently taking valp…