Drug Safety Update: Volume 1, Issue 5, December 2007

In this issue:

Drug safety advice

• Recombinant human erythropoietins: new prescribing advice
• Rosiglitazone and pioglitazone: cardiovascular safety
• Dosulepin: measures to reduce risk of fatal overdose
• ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists: not for use in pregnancy
• Short-acting β agonists: myocardial ischaemia

Yellow Card scheme update

• electronic reporting

Hot topics

• Varenicline: possible effects on driving, and psychiatric illness*
• NSAIDs and coxibs: balancing of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks

Stop Press

• Aprotinin: suspension of Marketing Authorisations
• Lumiracoxib: suspension of Marketing Authorisations
• Strontium ranelate: risk of severe allergic reactions
• Talc for pleurodesis: risk of adverse events
• Recent letters to healthcare professionals

Other information from the MHRA

• New sections on the MHRA website

 

*Please note that this article quotes incorrect usage figures for varenicline. Up to the end of November 2007, about 240 000 people in the UK had used varenicline.