What's new in February 2008

New for February

• 29 Feb 2008| Service fees for 2008/2009 - Reminder to cancel licences

  We would like to remind you that all licences, registrations and marketing authorisations that are "live" on 1 April 2008 will be liable for a periodic fee for the next year unless cancelled before the end of March 2008.

• 28 Feb 2008| Informal consultation paper on the review of the regulation of unlicensed medicines

  We have published an informal consultation paper which seeks the views of stakeholders on the current arrangements in the UK for regulation of unlicensed medicines and the rationale for reviewing those arrangements.

• 28 Feb 2008| MDA/2008/009 - Blood coagulation test. SmartCheck INR system manufactured by Unipath Ltd

  The manufacturer is recalling this product as a result of a clinical study in which the performance of the device did not meet its labelled claims and there may be a risk of incorrect results.

• 21 Feb 2008| One Liners issue 55 - January 2008

  This news sheet aimed at healthcare professionals and which highlights problems with medical devices, includes general waste containers leaching substances into the collected urine specimen, a portable examination couch collapsing and folding up during treatment, and the rupture of a medical air hose connected on an intensive care ventilator.

• 21 Feb 2008| MDA/2008/008 - Hospital beds. Hill-Rom Avantguard 1200 and 1400 with manually operated lock-out function

  Lack of use of the manual lock-out function has lead to fatalities from crush injuries.

• 21 Feb 2008| Reclassification of medicines

  Nicotine inhalator may now be supplied on general sale as an aid to smoking cessation and also as an aid to smoking reduction prior to cessation.

• 19 Feb 2008| Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances

  The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) was set up in 1971 to advise GPs on prescription of products that are not drugs or medical devices.

• 18 Feb 2008| Press release (for trade press): Pharmacists urged to encourage public to report suspected side effects of medicines

  We have launched a six-week campaign to get community pharmacists to mention the Yellow Card (YC) Scheme when they talk to their customers about their medicines.

• 18 Feb 2008| Press release: Members of the public to be encouraged by pharmacists to report suspected side effects of medicines

  We have launched a six-week campaign to get community pharmacists to mention the Yellow Card (YC) Scheme when they talk to their customers about their medicines.

• 12 Feb 2008| Warning issued about slimming drugs containing ephedrine

  The Danish Medicines Agency and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration have issued strong warnings about the Therma Power slimming drug following the death of a 36 year old man.