Products

Prescription Products Glucophage tablets Viscotears eye gel Aerodiol nasal spray Viazem capsules Innovo doser Nicorette preparations Molipaxin liquid Aspirin tablets Organon supplies Product transfer Discontinued Lederspan injection Securon tablets Fucidin Intertulle Miscellany Suplasyn injection Recall Alupent syrup Price changes

Prescription Products Glucophage tablets The licensed indications for Glucophage (metformin hydrochloride) 500mg and 850mg tablets have been extended to include the following statement: “A reduction of diabetic complications has been shown in overweight type 2 diabetic patients treated with metformin as first-line therapy after diet failure.” Viscotears eye gel Novartis Pharmaceuticals has launched Viscotears (carbomer) 2.0mg/g eye gel. The product is a preservative-free formulation of Viscotears liquid gel and is available in single dose units of 0.6ml (net price, 15 £3.90). Aerodiol nasal spray Aerodiol nasal spray containing estradiol hemihydrate 150µg per spray has been launched by Servier Laboratories (net price, £6.77). The product is licensed for replacement therapy for oestrogen deficiency symptoms in postmenopausal women. The company says that the usual recommended dose for the initiation of treatment is 300µg (administered as one spray into each nostril) daily as a single dose. Servier Laboratories has also launched Diamicron (gliclazide) 30mg MR tablets. The daily dose may vary between 30mg and 120mg as a single dose. It is recommended that the dose is taken at breakfast time. One Diamicron 30mg MR tablet is equivalent to one Diamicron 80mg tablet (net price, 28 £3.76, 56 £7.51, 84 £11.27, 112 £15.02). Viazem capsules Genus Pharmaceuticals says that it now has stock of Viazem 360mg caspules, pack size 28. Innovo doser Novo Nordisk’s Innovo, an insulin delivery system, is now available on prescription (net price £25). The insulin doser can be used with the following Penfill 3ml cartridges: Novorapid, Human Actrapid, Human Insulatard, Human Mixtard 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50. Nicorette preparations Pharmacia’s range of Nicorette preparations can now be prescribed on an NHS prescription. Molipaxin liquid Aventis Pharma is still unable to suppy Molipaxin (trazodone hydrochloride) liquid 120ml (PJ, July 22, 2000, p141). The company says that it does not yet know when the product will be available. Aspirin tablets The formulation of Alpharma’s dispersible aspirin tablets has changed. The company says that the new formulation may take longer to disperse and should be stirred in a glass of water and consumed immediately. The efficacy and safety of the product are not affected. Organon supplies Organon Teknika’s Esmeron (rocuronium bromide) injection, Norcuron (vecuronium bromide) injection, Pavulon (pancuronium bromide) injection and OncoTICE (TICE strain BCG) will now be supplied and invoiced by Organon Laboratories (tel, customer services, 01223 432728). Product transfer Betim (timolol maleate) 10mg and Prestim (timolol maleate 10mg, bendrofluazide 2.5mg), pack size 30, have been transferred from Leo Pharmaceuticals to ICN Pharmaceuticals. Back to Top

Discontinued Lederspan injection Wyeth Laboratories is discontinuing Lederspan (triamcinolone hexacetonide) injection 5mg/ml, 5ml vials, 20mg/ml, 1ml and 5ml vials. The company says that no more stock of the 20mg/ml 1ml vials is available. Securon tablets Knoll will be discontinuing Securon (verapamil hydrochloride) 40mg tablets when stocks of the product are exhausted. Fucidin Intertulle Fucidin Intertulle gauze dressing has been discontinued by Leo Pharmaceuticals, with immediate effect. Back to Top

Miscellany Suplasyn injection Suplasyn (sodium hyaluronate) injection 20mg/2ml, for osteoarthritis of the knee, has been launched by Dominion Pharma. The product is available as a syringe and a vial (net price, £35.50). 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. Norgine (increased from June 1) camcolit-250: tablets 100 £2.99 camcolit-400: tablets 100 £3.95 spasmonal: capsules 60mg 100 £11.29 spasmonal fibre: granules 500g £12.49 waxsol: ear drops 10ml £1.13 Sanofi-synthelabo (increased from May 1) xatral sr: tablets 5mg 60 £27.61 Back to Top

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