What's new in January 2008

New for January

• 30 Jan 2008| MDA/2008/004 - Umbilical cord clamp clipper manufactured by Unomedical Ltd. Product reference: 84006182

  The manufacturer has expanded this recall to include all lots made prior to the tool modification in 2006.

• 29 Jan 2008| Class 2 Drug Alert (action within 48 hours): Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd - Viscotears Single Dose Unit 2.0mg/g Eye Gel - EL(08)A/2

  Novartis Pharmaceutical UK Ltd are voluntarily recalling five batches of Viscotears Single Dose Unit 2.0mg/g Eye Gel as a precautionary measure due to potential lack of sterility assurance.

• 25 Jan 2008| Earlier access to medicines: Report from the Ministerial Industry Strategy Group (MISG) Forum

  The second Forum set up under the Ministerial Industry Strategy Group (MISG) met in September 2007 to debate whether making medicines available to patients at an earlier stage of their development was feasible and desirable.

• 25 Jan 2008| Press release: Bogus Ayurvedic practitioner sentenced for illegal sale and supply of unlicensed steroid creams

  A Manchester man was sentenced today at Manchester Crown Court for illegally importing unlicensed steroid creams from India and supplying them to people, including children, across Greater Manchester.

• 25 Jan 2008| Public consultation (MLX 347): Amendments to the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations etc) Regulations 1994

  MLX 347 seeks your views on proposals to introduce measures in the UK to enforce the obligations set out in Regulation (EC) No. 1901/2006 (the Paediatric Regulation). The Paediatric Regulation introduces a framework for providing incentives to companies to conduct research into the use of medicines by children in the EU.

• 25 Jan 2008| DB 2008(01) Reporting Adverse Incidents and Disseminating Medical Device Alerts

  This Device Bulletin provides guidance on the MHRA's voluntary adverse incident reporting system, encourages users to report adverse incidents involvoing medical devices and provides information on the dissemination of Medical Device Alerts.

• 24 Jan 2008| Press release: UK medical devices regulator warns women over dodgy foetal monitor

  We are currently assessing this product after concerns that it might not reach the required standards of safety and quality, or that it works, as required by the Medical Devices Regulations.

• 23 Jan 2008| New appointment to the British Pharmacopoeia Commission

  The Appointments Commission has announced the appointment of a new member of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission with effect from 1 January 2008 for a period of four years.

• 22 Jan 2008| Complaints about advertising of medicines

  The outcomes of the investigations into three complaints about the advertising of medicines have been published.

• 22 Jan 2008| Advertising complaint - Inovelon (rufinamide) - Daily Mail article, 'New Drug give hope to young epileptics' - October 2007

  We received a complaint about an article in the Daily Mail. The complainant was concerned that the article was promoting a prescription only medicine to the public.