What's new in March 2008

New for March

• 27 Mar 2008| Updated advice - Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for young children

  The Paediatric Medicines Expert Advisory Group and the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) have issued updated advice on the management of cough and colds in children.

• 27 Mar 2008| Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for young children - Urgent clarification notice

  We have published an urgent clarification notice with reference to our updated advice on over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for young children.

• 27 Mar 2008| Press release: Updated advice - Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for young children

  The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has reviewed over-the-counter (OTC) products used for treating cough and colds in children, and has advised that certain medicines should no longer be used in children under the age of two.

• 27 Mar 2008| MDA/2008/021 - Hospital beds Eleganza Standard, Smart and Deluxe models supplied by Pegasus

  This Medical Device Alert highlights a problem with these models of hospital bed.

• 27 Mar 2008| MDA/2008/020 - Nursing beds. Models 3010 and 5020 manufactured by Volker

  This Medical Device Alert highlights problems with this model of nursing bed.

• 27 Mar 2008| DB 2008(02) Adverse Incident Reports 2007

  This document provides an overview of medical device related adverse incident reports received by the MHRA in 2007.

• 26 Mar 2008| MDA/2008/019 - Folding shower seat 2000 Series manufactured by AKW Medi-Care Limited

  We have been informed of five incidents where the seat has flexed allowing the support legs to move away from the vertical, causing the seat to drop suddenly to a 45 degree angle. The user subsequently slipped from the seat and fell.

• 25 Mar 2008| MDA/2008/018 - Patient turner, model 411973300, manufactured by Etac

  We have received reports of a number of incidents where the Etac patient turner has been used with patients who have slumped forward during transfer, trapping their head in the gap in the handle

• 25 Mar 2008| Medical Device Technology Forum

  The field of novel technologies is vast and rapidly developing, as is the increase in their application with regards to medical devices. We are therefore pleased to announce that we are setting up a new Technologies Forum focused on medical devices.

• 24 Mar 2008| New Technologies Forms

  The New Technologies Forum for medicines was established by MHRA and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) in 2007.  A model of the New Technologies Forum is also being developed for for medical devices, so that we can consider the emerging technologies in this field and any consequences for regulation.