Drug Safety Update

The annual #MedSafetyWeek campaign is taking place from 2 to 8 November 2026 to promote the importance of reporting side effects from medicines and medical device incidents. This year's theme is ‘Side effects: don't …

• Therapeutic area: Anaesthesia and intensive care and 39 others
• Published: 26 October 2026

New safety measures are now being implemented to improve how the risks of suicidal thoughts and behaviours and persistent sexual dysfunction are communicated to patients taking antidepressant medications.

• Therapeutic area: Dispensing GP practices and 4 others
• Published: 15 October 2026

Administration of parenteral nutrition without a filter has been associated with a number of adverse incidents including an embolism which resulted in a fatal outcome.

• Therapeutic area: Anaesthesia and intensive care and 12 others
• Published: 2 September 2026

The product information has been updated for all domperidone products, to include a contraindication for patients with confirmed or suspected phaeochromocytoma (a rare tumour of the adrenal gland), due to the risk of episode…

• Therapeutic area: Cardiovascular disease and lipidology and 6 others
• Published: 21 July 2026

Healthcare professionals should be aware of the potential for delayed onset of angioedema and the distinction between bradykinin- and histamine-mediated cases, as treatment strategies differ significantly and bradykinin-medi…

• Therapeutic area: Cardiovascular disease and lipidology and 4 others
• Published: 16 June 2026

The MHRA has reviewed the evidence for finasteride and dutasteride and the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours and has recommended further measures to minimise this risk.

• Therapeutic area: Dermatology and 7 others
• Published: 11 May 2026

There have been reports of worsening nasal congestion (rebound congestion) when the effects of nasal decongestant sprays or drops containing xylometazoline hydrochloride and oxymetazoline hydrochloride, wear off.

• Therapeutic area: Dispensing GP practices and 5 others
• Published: 30 April 2026

A falsified version of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) KwikPen 15mg solution for injection has been found supplied through one online pharmacy in the UK. The falsified product is labelled with batch D873576 and applies to Mounjaro Kw…

• Therapeutic area: Dispensing GP practices and 5 others
• Published: 24 February 2026

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…

• Therapeutic area: Emergency medicine and 5 others
• Published: 5 February 2026

The product information for all Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists has been further updated to highlight the potential risk o…

• Therapeutic area: Emergency medicine and 5 others
• Published: 29 January 2026

The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has endorsed changes to the risk minimisation measures for isotretinoin, following a review of the impact of the measures implemented in 2023. We ask healthcare professionals to review…

• Therapeutic area: Dermatology and 4 others
• Published: 22 January 2026

The MHRA has reviewed the warnings regarding addiction, dependence, withdrawal, and tolerance for gabapentin, pregabalin, benzodiazepines, and z-drugs. The findings (detailed in the Public Assessment Report) were that it wa…

• Therapeutic area: General practice and 2 others
• Published: 8 January 2026

There is a risk of patient harm arising through medication error during a transition period where the original and new formulation of Rybelsus ® tablets, which have different stated mg doses but are bioequivalent, will both …

• Therapeutic area: Care home staff and 6 others
• Published: 17 December 2025

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…

• Therapeutic area: Emergency medicine and 4 others
• Published: 4 December 2025

The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has endorsed changes to isotretinoin prescribing guidance. In addition, CHM is seeking further information from dermatology services who prescribe isotretinoin to inform any future cha…

• Therapeutic area: Dermatology and 4 others
• Published: 27 October 2025

The annual #MedSafetyWeek campaign takes place from 3 to 9 November 2025. This year’s campaign theme is ‘we can all help make medicines safer.’

• Therapeutic area: Anaesthesia and intensive care and 39 others
• Published: 23 October 2025

Patients should be reminded and reassured that there is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children. Paracetamol is recommended as the first-choice pain reliever for pregnant women, used at…

• Therapeutic area: Anaesthesia and intensive care and 34 others
• Published: 23 September 2025

There is a small increase in the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome following vaccination with Abrysvo (Pfizer respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine) and Arexvy (GSK RSV vaccine) in adults aged 60 years and older. Healthca…

• Therapeutic area: Anaesthesia and intensive care and 5 others
• Published: 7 July 2025

Updated safety and educational materials are now available to support the implementation of the regulatory measures announced in the November 2023 National Patient Safety Alert and the September 2024 Drug Safety Update. They…

• Therapeutic area: General practice and 5 others
• Published: 10 June 2025

Psychological side effects such as anxiety, low mood, sleep disturbance, poor concentration, and forgetfulness have been infrequently reported in people with cystic fibrosis treated with Kaftrio. Healthcare professionals sho…

• Therapeutic area: General practice and 2 others
• Published: 7 May 2025

Healthcare professionals and patients are reminded of the risk of severe asthma attacks and increased mortality associated with overuse of SABA with or without anti-inflammatory maintenance therapy in patients with asthma. H…

• Therapeutic area: General practice and 2 others
• Published: 24 April 2025

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…

• Therapeutic area: Dispensing GP practices and 2 others
• Published: 10 April 2025