Drug Safety Update

› Latest issue of 'Drug Safety Update' - Volume 2, Issue 11, June 2009 (282Kb)
(Previous issues can be accessed at the bottom of this page.)

Welcome to 'Drug Safety Update', our regular monthly electronic bulletin bringing you information and clinical advice from the MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines, its independent advisor, about the safe use of medicines. It is intended for all healthcare professionals who work in the UK - doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, allied health professionals, and coroners.

We have designed the bulletin so that you can find quickly the information that is relevant to your practice. Keywords on main articles enable you to locate items of particular relevance to your area of interest. Where possible, we have indicated where you can access additional information, and websites are highlighted with hyperlinks for ease of use. The bulletin will include regular updates on the Yellow Card Scheme, which remains a vital part of the Agency’s vigilance activities.

We hope that you find this bulletin a useful addition to your information sources. Please tell us what you think of it, and if you have ideas for how we can continue to improve it, please click on the link below to access a short survey, or e-mail us at drugsafetyupdate@mhra.gsi.gov.uk.

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Latest Drug Safety Updates

• 03 Jun 2009 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 11, June 2009
  

  The June issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes: drug safety advice for antipsychotics (risk of venous thromboembolic events), Chloral hydrate and Triclofos (not first-line options for insomnia), and for topical ketoprofen (reminder on risk of photosensitivity reactions); a Hot topic article on a pharmacy-based public awareness campaign about counterfeit medicines; and Stop press information about a possible interaction between clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors.

• 05 May 2009 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 10, May 2009
  

  The May issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes drug safety advice for antihypertensive medicines, and a Hot topic article outlining key safety information to support pharmacy availability of orlistat for weight loss.

• 01 Apr 2009 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 9, April 2009
  

  The April issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes drug safety advice for antiepileptics (adverse effects on bone), and a Hot topic article on responsibilities when prescribing a medicine off-label or when using an unlicensed medicine.

• 04 Mar 2009 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 8, March 2009
  

  The March issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes drug safety advice for: the ADHD medicines methylphenidate and atomoxetine; the diabetes medicine exenatide (Byetta, risk of severe pancreatitis and renal failure); and for bisphosphonates (risk of atypical stress fracture with long-term alendronic acid treatment).

• 03 Feb 2009 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 7, February 2009
  

  The February issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes: drug safety advice for the synthetic hormone therapy tibolone (increased risk of breast cancer recurrence), and for the thrombotic cardiovascular risk associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); Yellow Card reporting guidance for healthcare professionals; and ‘Stop press’ news about a European safety review of methylphenidate for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

• 06 Jan 2009 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 6, January 2009
  

  The January issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes: drug safety advice for piperacillin/tazobactam generics (their compatibility with other medicines differs from that of the brand leader), and temsirolimus (risk of hypersensitivity reactions with this treatment for renal-cell carcinoma); and a ‘Hot topic’ on European regulation of medicines for children.

• 03 Dec 2008 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 5, December 2008
  

  The December issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes: drug safety advice for nitrous oxide (risk of neurological and haematological toxic effects, especially with prolonged use) and for rituximab and efalizumab (risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy); highlights of the Yellow Card Scheme for 2008; an end-of-year drug-safety quiz; and important ‘Stop press’ information about a risk of serious medication errors with tacrolimus.

• 06 Nov 2008 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2, Issue 4, November 2008
  

  The November issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes: a reminder about the risk of psychiatric adverse reactions with the smoking-cessation drug varenicline; drug safety advice for the antibacterial tigecycline after its reformulation; a hot topic article on ezetimibe; and ‘Stop press’ information about the European suspension of the marketing authorisation for rimonabant.

• 06 Oct 2008 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 3 October 2008
  

  The October issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes: drug safety advice for ergot-derived dopamine agonists in endocrine disorders, and for use of antibiotics in premature labour; a hot topic article on pseudoephedrine and ephedrine nasal decongestants; and ‘Stop press’ information about the bronchodilator theophylline.

• 01 Sep 2008 | Drug Safety Update: Volume 2, Issue 2 September 2008
  

  The September issue of ‘Drug Safety Update’ includes: drug safety advice for fentanyl patches for chronic pain; a hot topic article on the national immunisation programme against human papillomavirus; and ‘Stop press’ information about natalizumab for multiple sclerosis.