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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices, and information about the publication of two recent Device Safety Information pages.
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Globally, there has been a very small number of reports of new-onset or aggravation of pre-existing myasthenia gravis with atorvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin and pitavastatin (singl鈥�
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Healthcare professionals prescribing fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, delafloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin) are reminded to be alert to the risk of psychiatric reactions, including depression and ps鈥�
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines, and a recent National Patient Safety Alert highlighting the risk of deaths and serious injuries from entrapment or falls relatin鈥�
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Healthcare professionals prescribing fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, delafloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin) are reminded to be alert to the risk of disabling and potentially long-lasting or irrevers鈥�
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Photosensitivity reactions are known side effects of methotrexate treatment and can be severe. Patients should be advised to take precautions to protect their skin in the sun.
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We are providing an update on a retrospective observational study on the risk to children born to men who took valproate in the 3 months before conception and on the need for the re-analysis of the data from this study befor鈥�
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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There have been a small number of reports of serious and life-threatening anticholinergic side effects associated with hyoscine hydrobromide patches, particularly when used outside the licence. Healthcare professionals, pati鈥�
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We have launched a public consultation on the proposal to reclassify codeine linctus to a prescription-only medicine.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices and a reminder of a recent MHRA National Patient Safety Alert to highlight the potential risk of underdosing 鈥�
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Calcium salts (either calcium chloride or calcium gluconate) are used to stabilise the myocardium and prevent cardiac arrest in patients experiencing severe hyperkalaemia. However, the two salts are not equivalent in terms o鈥�
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We want to remind healthcare professionals that use of systemic (oral and injectable) NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac is contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy (after 28 weeks of pregnancy).
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We inform healthcare professionals that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched new guidance to highlight the latest safety advice on the steps to take during anaphylaxis. This new guidanc鈥�
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices and details of two recent MHRA National Patient Safety Alerts to remove from service Philips Health Systems V鈥�
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Risk minimisation materials are available to support the safe use of new paediatric formulations of rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa). In addition, we ask healthcare professionals to consult the curren鈥�
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We remind healthcare professionals that accidental use of glucose-containing solutions as flush fluid for arterial lines may contaminate blood samples and result in falsely high glucose readings. This may lead to inappropria鈥�
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Caution is required if prescribing febuxostat in patients with pre-existing major cardiovascular disease, particularly, in those with evidence of high urate crystal and tophi burden or those initiating urate-lowering therapy鈥�
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Recent MHRA National Patient Safety Alerts to remove from service Philips Health Systems V60 and V60 Plus ventilators and to recall Emerade adrenaline auto-injectors from patients, pharmacies and wholesalers. We also provide鈥�
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The Isotretinoin Expert Working Group of the Commission on Human Medicines has made recommendations to strengthen the safety of isotretinoin treatment. Recommendations include new warnings, the need for consistent monitoring鈥�
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We inform healthcare professionals of new risk minimisation measures for JAK inhibitors used to treat chronic inflammatory disorders, consistent with the measures introduced for tofacitinib (Xeljanz) in 2020 and 2021. This a鈥�
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Healthcare professionals prescribing nitrofurantoin should be alert to the risks of pulmonary and hepatic adverse drug reactions and advise patients to be vigilant for the signs and symptoms in need of further investigation.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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Advice for healthcare professionals regarding the withdrawal of pholcodine-containing medicines from the market.
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New recommendations following a recent clinical trial which found that in patients with type 1 hepatorenal syndrome terlipressin may cause serious or fatal respiratory failure at a frequency higher than previously known, and鈥�
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the February 2023 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 21 March 2023.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the January 2023 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 21 February 2023.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
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Prescribers and dispensers should use caution if switching patients between different metolazone preparations as the rate and extent of absorption of metolazone are formulation dependent. This can impact the bioavailability 鈥�
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Premature puberty and genital enlargement have been reported in children who were in close physical contact with an adult using topical testosterone and who were repeatedly accidentally exposed to this medicine. To reduce th鈥�
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We ask healthcare professionals to be vigilant to adverse incidents involving software, apps, and artificial intelligence (AI) as medical devices and to report incidents to us via the Yellow Card scheme.
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the December 2022 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 23 January 2022.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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In view of data showing ongoing exposure to valproate in pregnancy, this article reminds healthcare professionals of the risks in pregnancy and the current Pregnancy Prevention Programme requirements, and provides informatio鈥�
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the November 2022 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 8 December 2022.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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Healthcare professionals prescribing dupilumab should be alert to the risks of ocular reactions. New onset or worsening ocular symptoms require prompt review. Referral for ophthalmological examination should be made as appro鈥�
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The MHRA is reviewing its approach to engaging with healthcare professionals on the safety of medicines and medical devices. Through our consultation, you can provide your views and help inform our new approach.
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the October 2022 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 24 November 2022.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines.
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The seventh annual #MedSafetyWeek social media campaign will take place 7 to 13 November 2022 and this year鈥檚 focus is the importance of reporting suspected adverse reactions to medicines and vaccines. We are also encouragin鈥�
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the September 2022 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 21 October 2022.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines and medical devices.
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Prescribers and dispensers should use caution if switching patients between different long-acting formulations of methylphenidate (Concerta XL, Medikinet XL, Equasym XL, Ritalin LA, and generics) as different instructions fo鈥�
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The third-line treatment indication for rucaparib has been withdrawn following a review of the findings of the ARIEL-4 trial, which showed lower overall survival for rucaparib treatment versus standard chemotherapy in patien鈥�
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the August 2022 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 23 September 2022.
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A summary of recent letters and notifications sent to healthcare professionals about medicines
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Use of a nebuliser purchased independently of medical advice for use in the home to deliver nebulised asthma rescue medications to children can mask a deterioration in the underlying disease and may increase the risk of pote鈥�
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Recent information relating to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines that has been published since the July 2022 issue of Drug Safety Update, up to 19 August 2022.