The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 264 No 7082 p209
February 5, 2000 The Society

Audio-visual loan service

Distance learning pack on new pharmaceuticals 1998-99

A video-based distance learning pack reviewing some important pharmaceutical products introduced during 1998 and 1999 has been added to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's audio-visual loan service.
The pack is the 10th in an annual series intended to stimulate an educational debate among pharmacists about new products. It has been compiled by the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (England) and has been funded by the Department of Health as part of the central training initiatives scheme for pharmacists.
The pack consists of an 84-minute video accompanied by a 124-page workbook. Together, they provide detailed information on 15 new products, with recommendations for further reading.
The workbook includes 75 self-assessment questions and a set of 10 multiple choice questions. Pharmacists in England who work through the package and send completed questionnaire forms to the CPPE will receive a record of completion for four study hours.
The new drugs reviewed are:

• rabeprazole (Pariet) - a new proton pump inhibitor for the treatment of active duodenal ulcers and benign gastric ulcers
• clopidogrel (Plavix) - a novel oral antiplatelet drug for preventing vascular ischaemic events
• Seretide (salmeterol and fluticasone) and zafirlukast (Accolate) - two new asthma treatments
• entacapone (Comtess) and pramipexole (Mirapexin) - two new drugs for use in parkinsonism
• raloxifene (Evista) - a new drug for protection against bone loss in post-menopausal women
• glimepiride (Amaryl) and repaglinide (Novonorm) - two new drugs for use in the treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
• rivastigmine (Exelon) - an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor for use in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
• rizatriptan (Maxalt) - a new treatment for the headache phase of migraine attacks
• zotepine (Zoleptil) - an atypical antipsychotic with a low risk of extrapyramidal symptoms
• tiagabine (Gabitril) - the first gamma aminobenzoic acid uptake inhibitor for use as an add-on therapy in the control of epilepsy
• sildenafil (Viagra) - the first oral treatment for erectile dysfunction
• orlistat (Xenical) - a novel anti-obesity drug that reduces fat absorption by inhibiting gastric and pancreatic lipases

As well as discussing the new drugs, the workbook and video include two further sections, on the withdrawal of new drugs and on antibiotic prescribing. The first looks at the reasons why, despite years of pre-launch testing, some new drugs have to be withdrawn because of concerns about safety. It explains why the licensing process cannot provide complete information about the safety profile of a new drug, and it emphasises the importance of post-marketing surveillance for all new drugs.
The section on antibiotic prescribing examines the threat of antibiotic resistance. It discusses the need to address the problem of inappropriate prescribing while taking into account the many influences on the prescribing of antibiotics in general medical practice in addition to the simple need to treat an infection.
Pharmacists in Britain wishing to borrow "New pharmaceutical products 1998-99" should contact the Audio-Visual Loan Service, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN (tel 020 7735 9141 ext 347), quoting the reference number NPP10 and giving their own registration number. There is no loan charge.
A booklet giving details of all the video and tape/slide presentations available from the service can be obtained from the same address.