Products

Prescription Products Almogran tablets Neoclarityn tablets Femara new indication Indivina tablets Lamisil AT cream Eprex injection Chlorphenamine injection Merck stocks Viazem XL capsules Bisoprolol tablets APS/Berk products Dovonex ointment Clinitar cream Discontinued Counter medicines Oilatum cream Miscellany SMA Gold range AeroChamber Fluoride leaflets Price changes

Prescription Products Almogran tablets Composition: Almotriptan (as d,l-hydrogen maleate) 12.5mg. Presentation: Film-coated tablets. Action: Selective 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptor agonist. Indications: Acute treatment of the headache phase of migraine attacks with or without aura. Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to active substance or excipients; previous cerebrovascular accident or transient ischaemic attack; peripheral vascular disease; concomitant administration with ergotamine, ergotamine derivatives (including methysergide) or other 5-HT1B/1D agonists; severe hepatic impairment. Almotriptan should not be used in patients with a history, symptoms or signs of ischaemic heart disease (myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, documented silent ischaemia, Prinzmetal’s angina), severe hypertension or uncontrolled mild or moderate hypertension. Concomitant adminis- tration of lithium should be avoided. Dosage and administration: Almotriptan should be taken with liquids after the onset of migraine-associated headache. It should not be used for migraine prophylaxis. The tablets can be taken with or without food. Adults (18-65 years), recommended dose 12.5mg. A second dose may be taken if symptoms reappear within 24 hours, provided that there is a minimum interval of two hours between the two doses. If a patient does not respond to the first dose, a second dose should not be taken for the same attack. Maximum recommended dosage is two doses in 24 hours. Children and adolescents (<18 years), not recommended. Elderly (over 65 years), no dosage adjustment required. Safety and effectiveness have not been evaluated. Mild to moderate renal impairment, no dosage adjustment required. Severe renal impairment, no more than 12.5mg should be taken in a 24-hour period. Mild to moderate hepatic disease, use with caution. Pregnancy, safety not established (see SPC). Lactation, no data available and caution should be exercised when prescribing. Infant exposure may be minimised by avoiding breast-feeding for 24 hours after treatment. Overdosage: No reports of overdose. Treat symptomatically and maintain vital functions. Monitoring should be continued for at least 12 hours or while symptoms or signs persist. Precautions: Only use where there is a clear diagnosis of migraine. Almotriptan should not be used to treat basilar, hemiplegic or ophthalmoplegic migraine. It should not be administered to patients who could have an undiagnosed coronary condition without prior evaluation of potential underlying cardiovascular disease (see SPC). Following administration, almotriptan can be associated with transient symptoms including chest pain and tightness, which may be intense and involve the throat. Where such symptoms are thought to indicate ischaemic heart disease, no further dose should be taken. Caution should be exercised in patients with known hypersensitivity to sulphonamides. Following use of almotriptan, patients should wait at least six hours before administering ergotamine. At least 24 hours should elapse after administration of an ergotamine- containing preparation before almotriptan is taken. Since somnolence may occur during a migraine attack and has been reported as a side effect of almotriptan, caution is recommended in patients performing skilled tasks. Drug interactions: See SPC. Side effects: In patients taking one or two doses of almotriptan 12.5mg within 24 hours, adverse reactions with an incidence Ž1 per cent included fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, somnolence. Adverse reactions with an incidence of <1 per cent included paraesthesia, diarrhoea, chest pain, dyspepsia, dry mouth, throat tightness, myalgia, headache, asthenia, palpitation, skeletal pain, tinnitus. Almotriptan may cause mild, transient increases in blood pressure, which may be more pronounced in the elderly. Net price: 3 tablets £9.75, 6 £19.50, 9 £29.25. Supplier: Lundbeck, Sunningdale House, Caldecotte Lake Business Park, Caldecotte, Milton Keynes MK7 8LF. Tel 01908 649966, fax 01908 647888. Legal class: POM. Neoclarityn tablets Composition: Desloratadine 5mg. Presentation: Film-coated tablets. Storage and stability: Do not store above 30C. Store in original package. Action: Antihistamine, H1 antagonist. Indications: Relief of symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to active substance or excipients, or to loratadine. Dosage and administration: Adults and adolescents (aged 12 years and over), 5mg daily, with or without a meal. Children (<12 years), efficacy and safety not established. Severe renal insufficiency, use with caution. Pregnancy, safe use during pregnancy has not been established. Do not use during pregnancy unless potential benefits outweigh risks. Lactation, desloratadine is excreted in breast milk. Use is not recommended in breast-feeding women. Overdosage: No relevant effects observed with doses of up to 45mg. In event of overdose, standard measures to remove unabsorbed active substance should be considered and symptomatic and supportive treatment recommended. Drug interactions: No relevant interactions observed in trials in which erythromycin or ketoconazole were co-administered with desloratadine. The enzyme responsible for the metabolism of desloratadine has not been identified yet and therefore some interactions with other drugs cannot be excluded. Desloratadine did not potentiate the performance-impairing effects of alcohol. Side effects: Adverse events included headache (incidence >1 per cent, Ť10 per cent) and dry mouth and fatigue (>0.1 per cent, Ť1 per cent). Net price: 30 £7.57. Supplier: Schering-Plough, Schering-Plough House, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 1TW. Tel 01707 363636, fax 01707 363690. Legal class: POM. Femara new indication The licensed indications for Novartis Pharmaceuticals’s Femara (letrozole) 2.5mg tablets have been extended. Femara is now additionally licensed for “first-line treatment in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer” and for “pre-operative therapy in postmenopausal women with localised hormone receptor positive breast cancer, to allow subsequent breast-conserving surgery in women not originally considered candidates for breast-conserving surgery. Subsequent treatment after surgery should be in accordance with standard of care.” Indivina tablets Orion Pharma has launched Indivina (estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone acetate) 1mg/2.5mg, 1mg/5mg and 2mg/5mg combination tablets. The product is licensed as replacement therapy for estrogen deficiency symptoms and prophylaxis of osteoporosis in women more than three years after menopause with an intact uterus. One tablet should be taken orally each day, without a tablet-free interval. Treatment is recommended to be initiated with Indivina 1mg/2.5mg and, depending on the response to treatment, the dosage can then be adjusted to individual needs. All three dose combinations are available in packs of 84 tablets (net price, £22.62). Lamisil AT cream A pharmacy only pack size of Lamisil (terbinafine hydrochloride) 1 per cent cream is being launched by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. The product, called Lamisil AT, will be available in a 7.5g pack (net price, £2.85; retail price, £4.99). Eprex injection Eprex (epoetin alfa) 40,000iu/ml solution for injection has been added to Janssen-Cilag’s Eprex range (net price, 1 vial £335.20). Chlorphenamine injection Link Pharmaceuticals’s chlorphenamine 10mg/ml injection is no longer available under the brand name Piriject. It is now available as chlorphenamine injection, from UK wholesalers or direct from the company’s distributor, UDG. Further details can be obtained from the company (tel 01403 272451). Merck stocks Merck Pharmaceuticals says that it may no longer be able to maintain its usual levels of service because of some major fluctuations in the market, unprecedented demand and changes in the packaging of some of its products. The company apologises for any inconvenience caused and reassures customers that measures have been taken to rectify the situation within the next few weeks. Viazem XL capsules Viazem XL (diltiazem hydrochloride) 360mg capsules will be unavailable from Genus Pharmaceuticals until March 1, because of a supply shortage. The company says that the 120mg, 180mg, 240mg and 300mg capsules are still available. Bisoprolol tablets Generics (UK) has launched bisoprolol tablets, pack size 28 (net price, 5mg £8.56, 10mg £9.61). Dominion Pharma has also added bisoprolol tablets to its product range in packs of 28 (net price, 5mg £7.80, 10mg £8.74). APS/Berk products APS/Berk has launched senna 7.5mg tablets (net price, 60 89p) and bisoprolol tablets, pack size 28 (net price, 5mg £8.13, 10mg £9.13). Dovonex ointment Leo Pharmaceuticals is introducing a 240g pack size of Dovonex (calcipotriol 50µg/g) ointment (net price, £56.16). Clinitar cream The supply problem with Cambridge Healthcare’s Clinitar cream (coal tar extract 1 per cent), which has been out of stock for some time, has now been rectified. The company says that wholesalers and its distribution depot both have normal stock levels. Discontinued Knoll has discontinued Securon 80mg tablets with immediate effect n Janssen-Cilag’s Pevaryl TC cream (econazole nitrate) has been discontinued because of a lack of demand. Back to Top

Counter medicines Oilatum cream Stiefel Laboratories has reformulated its Oilatum cream. The company says that the active ingredient has been changed from arachis oil 21 per cent to light liquid paraffin 6 per cent and white soft paraffin 15 per cent. Quarternium 15 (Dowacil) has also been removed and replaced with benzyl alcohol. The new formula is fragrance-free and should be available from March onwards. The pack sizes (40g and 80g) and prices remain the same. Back to Top

Miscellany SMA Gold range SMA Nutrition has relaunched its SMA Gold infant formula as Best Ever SMA Gold. The product has been reformulated and now additionally contains the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (retail price, tin 450g £3.65, 900g £6.59; 4oz sachet 18 £2.49; ready-to-use carton 250ml 68p, 1L £2.24). AeroChamber AeroChamber range of spacer devices and masks, manufactured by Trudell Medical Partnership and distributed by 3M Health Care, has been replaced by an AeroChamber Plus range. 3M Health Care says that a number of improvements have been made to the range, including the addition of an exhalation valve to the adult mask. Also, the mask is now softer and conforms to the face. However, the method by which the products in the range are used by patients, as well as the prices have not changed. Trudell has ceased production of the AeroChamber range and commenced production of the AeroChamber Plus range, with immediate effect. 3M Health Care will start distributing each of the products in the new range as stocks in the existing range run out. Fluoride leaflets Information leaflets providing advice about how fluoride works and how to use it safely are available, free of charge, from Manx Pharma (tel 01622 766389). The company says that the leaflets explain how to assess whether a patient might need a supplement (in consultation with a dentist) and provide tips for looking after children’s teeth. Back to Top

Price changes The price changes given below are in pounds and pence, light type indicating the price to pharmacists excluding VAT and heavy type the price to the public including VAT. In the case of medicines dispensed on a doctor’s prescription, VAT is not charged to the patient. Knoll (increased from January 1) Gopten capsules 1mg £11.36 Half securon sr tablets 120mg £7.50 Brufen tablets 200mg 100 £3.74, 400mg 100 £7.48 250 £17.63, 600mg 100 £11.22; granules £6.23 Froben tablets 50mg 100 £9.99, 100mg 100 £18.94 Prothiaden tablets 75mg 500 £78.66; capsules 25mg 600 £34.67. Pharmacia (increased from February 1) Genotropin refill cartridge16iu 1 £121.39, 36iu 1 £273.13; kabivial 16iu 1 £121.39; miniquick injection 0.6iu 7 £31.88, 1.2iu 7 £63.76, 1.8iu 7 £95.59, 2.4iu 7 £127.47, 3iu 7 £159.36, 3.6iu 7 £191.24, 4.2iu 7 £223.12, 4.8iu 7 £254.95, 5.4iu 7 £286.83, 6iu 7 £318.71 Prostin e2 vaginal gel 1mg/2.5ml 3g £14.52, 2mg/2.5ml 3g £16; tablets 500µg 10 £14.93; vaginal tablets 3mg 8 £65.04. Sanofi-Synthelabo (increased from February 1) Epilim chrono tablets 200mg 100 £8.09, 300mg 100 £12.13, 500mg 100 £20.21 Solian tablets 50mg 60 £18.10 90 £27.16, 200mg 60 £66 90 £99, 400mg 60 £132(decreased from February 1) Ditropan tablets 2.5mg 84 £6.86, 5mg 84 £13.34. Back to Top