-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
-
Advice for healthcare professionals on the reclassification of codeine linctus to a prescription-only medicine (POM), following a public consultation.
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
-
New safety and educational materials have been introduced for men and women and healthcare professionals to reduce the harms from valproate, including the significant risk of serious harm to the baby if taken during pregnanc…
-
Healthcare professionals prescribing aripiprazole are reminded to be alert to the risk of addictive gambling and other impulse control disorders. Healthcare professionals should advise patients, their families and friends to…
-
The medicines used to treat vitamin B12 deficiency (hydroxocobalamin, cyanocobalamin) contain cobalt. There are case reports in the literature describing cobalt sensitivity-type reactions in patients being treated for vitami…
-
Falsified, potentially harmful Ozempic▼ and Saxenda products have been found in the UK.
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
-
We have strengthened the safe use of isotretinoin through the introduction of additional oversight of the initiation of isotretinoin in patients under 18 years and through improved assessment and monitoring of mental health …
-
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, valproate-containing medicines must always be dispensed in the manufacturer’s original full pack.
-
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…
-
Photosensitivity reactions are known side effects of methotrexate treatment and can be severe. Patients should be advised to take precautions to protect their skin in the sun.
-
We are providing an update on a retrospective observational study on the risk to children born to men who took valproate in the 3 months before conception and on the need for the re-analysis of the data from this study befor…
-
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 …
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices and details of two recent MHRA National Patient Safety Alerts to remove from service Philips Health Systems V…
-
Risk minimisation materials are available to support the safe use of new paediatric formulations of rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa). In addition, we ask healthcare professionals to consult the curren…
-
We remind healthcare professionals that accidental use of glucose-containing solutions as flush fluid for arterial lines may contaminate blood samples and result in falsely high glucose readings. This may lead to inappropria…
-
The Isotretinoin Expert Working Group of the Commission on Human Medicines has made recommendations to strengthen the safety of isotretinoin treatment. Recommendations include new warnings, the need for consistent monitoring…
-
We inform healthcare professionals of new risk minimisation measures for JAK inhibitors used to treat chronic inflammatory disorders, consistent with the measures introduced for tofacitinib (Xeljanz) in 2020 and 2021. This a…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
-
Premature puberty and genital enlargement have been reported in children who were in close physical contact with an adult using topical testosterone and who were repeatedly accidentally exposed to this medicine. To reduce th…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
-
In view of data showing ongoing exposure to valproate in pregnancy, this article reminds healthcare professionals of the risks in pregnancy and the current Pregnancy Prevention Programme requirements, and provides informatio…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
-
Healthcare professionals prescribing dupilumab should be alert to the risks of ocular reactions. New onset or worsening ocular symptoms require prompt review. Referral for ophthalmological examination should be made as appro…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
-
Prescribers and dispensers should use caution if switching patients between different long-acting formulations of methylphenidate (Concerta XL, Medikinet XL, Equasym XL, Ritalin LA, and generics) as different instructions fo…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines, and a patient safety alert on mexiletine hydrochloride.
-
Decreased vitamin B12 levels, or vitamin B12 deficiency, is now considered to be a common side effect in patients on metformin treatment, especially in those receiving a higher dose or longer treatment duration and in those …
-
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…
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices
-
A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices. Includes a recent recall of Accupro (quinapril hydrochloride) and advice on Xagrid (anagrelide hydrochloride…
-
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 summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices. Includes a recent recall of Accuretic (quinapril hydrochloride and hydrochlorothiazide).
-
A large study has shown no safety issues of concern relating to the use of metformin during pregnancy. The licence for metformin now reflects that it can be considered for use during pregnancy and the periconceptional phase …
-
Carefully consider the benefits and risks before prescribing systemic azithromycin or other systemic macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin or clarithromycin) to patients being treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. An…
-
A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
-
We remind healthcare professionals that elderly patients are at an increased risk of adverse neurological and cardiac effects when being treated with haloperidol for delirium. The lowest possible dose of haloperidol should b…
-
The authorisation holder for dapagliflozin has withdrawn the indication for type 1 diabetes mellitus. The removal of the type 1 diabetes indication is not due to any new safety concerns and the other indications of dapaglifl…
-
A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
-
A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
-
A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
-
Rarely, severe adverse effects can occur on stopping treatment with topical corticosteroids, often after long-term continuous or inappropriate use of moderate to high potency products. To reduce the risks of these events, pr…
-
A summary of recent letters, medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals
-
We have published guidance about the use of remote consultations for pregnancy prevention in women of childbearing potential and monitoring for signs of psychiatric reactions (especially depression) and other safety risks in…
-
A summary of letters and drug alerts recently sent to healthcare professionals.
-
A summary of letters and recent medicine recalls and notifications sent to healthcare professionals.
-
We inform healthcare professionals of the recent campaign to promote awareness of the risk and new resources available to support safe use following previous advice to health and care professionals.