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Letters were sent about insulin Fiasp and Tresiba and Inhixa (enoxaparin sodium); use survey to feedback your thoughts on Direct Healthcare Professional Communications (DHPCs) and on the way medicines safety issues are commu…
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While an urgent EU-wide review of new information on liver safety is under way, promptly review patients on treatment. Only initiate daclizumab in restricted groups of patients with limited treatment options and keep all pat…
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Fezolinetant treatment is associated with a risk of drug induced liver injury. New recommendations have been introduced to minimise this risk. Liver function should be monitored before and during treatment in all patients ta…
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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…
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The use of daclizumab (daclizumab beta) is now restricted to adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis who have had an inadequate response to at least 2 other disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) and for whom other DMTs are con…
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices and a reminder of a recent MHRA National Patient Safety Alert to highlight the potential risk of underdosing …
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Careful monitoring of serum sodium important, co-administration of other drugs that may increase serum sodium not recommended.
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Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels should be measured before starting treatment with tocilizumab and monitored every 4–8 weeks for the first 6 months of treatment followed by every 12 weeks thereafter.…
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Patients with cancer who received recombinant human erythropoietins in clinical trials had an increased risk of tumour progression and reduced overall survival compared with study controls.
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liver-function testing recommended in patients with symptoms that may indicate liver injury.
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Test liver function before and during treatment and tell patients to avoid sunlight exposure.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
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Cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy have been reported in patients taking dimethyl fumarate for multiple sclerosis, who all had prolonged lymphopenia.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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While this defect is still being investigated, we remind you to always have a full spare cylinder loaded on the delivery device so the cylinders can be switched without delay.
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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…
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New simplified guidance on treating paracetamol overdose with intravenous acetylcysteine including an updated treatment nomogram.
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A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
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If bilirubin and/or creatinine test results are inconsistent with clinical observations, request re-testing using another method to determine the validity of the result.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines, and a patient safety alert on mexiletine hydrochloride.
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We have issued a National Patient Safety Alert following serious reports of harm associated with insulin leakage during use of the Accu-Chek Insight Insulin pump with NovoRapid PumpCart prefilled insulin cartridges. Patients…
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St John’s wort interacts with hormonal contraceptives reducing the effectiveness and increasing the risk of unplanned pregnancy.
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Calcium salts (either calcium chloride or calcium gluconate) are used to stabilise the myocardium and prevent cardiac arrest in patients experiencing severe hyperkalaemia. However, the two salts are not equivalent in terms o…
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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…
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More than one treatment course is authorised only in women who are not eligible for surgery, and liver function monitoring is to be carried out in all women treated with Esmya. Before initiation, discuss with women the rare …
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The monitoring requirements and discontinuation criteria for dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera) have been strengthened following a small number of reports of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in patients with mild …
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Over-correction of haemoglobin concentration may increase the risk of death and serious cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease; it may increase the risk of thrombosis and related complications in patie…
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Liver monitoring requirements for cladribine in the treatment of multiple sclerosis have been introduced following uncommon cases of serious liver injury. Advise patients to seek urgent medical attention if they develop any …
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Liver monitoring requirements and discontinuation criteria for fingolimod have been updated following reports of serious liver injury. Fatal cases of encephalitis and meningitis caused by herpes simplex and varicella zoster …
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…In all patients, measure alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin levels before starting treatment, every 3 months during the first year of treatment, and annually thereafter.
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Patients should use the lowest effective dose, and the shortest duration of treatment necessary to control symptoms.
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False blood glucose readings when used to flush arterial lines leading to incorrect insulin administration and potentially fatal hypoglycaemia.
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…Measure alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and bilirubin levels before starting pirfenidone treatment, monthly for the first 6 months of treatment, and then every 3 months thereafter.…
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Test for raised ketones in patients with acidosis symptoms, even if plasma glucose levels are near-normal.
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The indication of ulipristal acetate 5mg for uterine fibroids has been further restricted due to the risk of serious liver injury and liver failure, with some cases requiring liver transplantation. Although the temporary sus…
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Increased risk of arterial thromboembolism, including myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events for patients treated with thalidomide.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
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Test for raised ketones in patients with ketoacidosis symptoms, even if plasma glucose levels are near-normal.
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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
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Updates have been made to the magnitude of the known risk of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis following exposure to erythromycin in infancy as a result of new epidemiological data. The risk is particularly increased i…
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A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
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The immunomodulatory effects of fingolimod increase the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and opportunistic infections.
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Healthcare professionals should be aware of epidemiological data showing a small increased risk of fractures associated with the use of TCAs and SSRIs, and should take this risk into account in their discussions with patient…
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Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition that can cause sudden deterioration in vision, usually in one eye at a time, has been very rarely reported in association with semaglutide in the treatmen…
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Risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) for drospirenone-containing combined oral contraceptives (COCs), including Yasmin, is higher than for levonorgestrel-containing COCs.
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Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials have highlighted a dose-dependent increased risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with established cardiovascular diseases or cardiovascular risk factors…
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Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) has been very rarely reported in patients treated with mesalazine. Following a recent review, warnings for IIH are being added to the product information for all mesalazine products…
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The maximum recommended dose for simvastatin in conjunction with amlodipine and diltiazem is now 20 mg/day.
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Now only authorised for use in patients with symptomatic bone metastases and no known visceral metastases who have had 2 previous systemic treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer or who cannot receive …
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Patients with complete or partial dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency are at increased risk of severe and fatal toxicity during treatment with these medicines. All patients should be tested for DPD deficiency be…