The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 266 No 7152 p835
June 16, 2001

Products

Prescription Products
• Exelon capsules
• Dermestril Septem
• Suxamethonium
• Erythromycin suspension
• Tertroxin tablets
• Nabilone capsules
• Fucidin suspension
• Powergel
Discontinued
• Dimotane LA
Miscellany
• Glutafin bread mix
• PGD flow chart
• ABPI guide

Price changes

Prescription Products

Exelon capsules

The summary of product characteristics for Exelon (rivastigmine) capsules has been updated. The following statement has been added to the undesirable effects section: “Very rare cases of atrio-ventricular block have been reported”.

Dermestril Septem

Strakan is launching Dermestril-Septem patches, a once-weekly estradiol patch. The patches will be available in packs of four and in the following strengths: Dermestril-Septem 25, which delivers 25µg of estradiol per 24 hours (net price, £4.55), Dermestril-Septem 50, which delivers 50µg per 24 hours (net price, £4.56) and Dermestril-Septem 75 delivering 75µg per 24 hours (net price, £5.29).

Suxamethonium

Aurum Pharmaceuticals is launching suxamethonium chloride 100mg/2ml pre-filled syringes (net price, 1 £7).

Erythromycin suspension

Generics (UK) has launched Erythromycin sugar-free suspension in three strengths (net price, 125mg/ml £1.05, 250mg/ml £1.83 and 500mg/ml £3.19).

Tertroxin tablets

Goldshield’s Tertroxin (liothyronine sodium) 20µg tablets, pack size 100, are back in stock.

Nabilone capsules

Nabilone 250µg capsules have been introduced on a named patient basis by Cambridge Laboratories. The capsules are available in packs of 20 with a shelf-life of 24 months. Information on ordering the product can be obtained from the company’s customer services department (tel 0191 296 9300).

Fucidin suspension

Leo Pharmaceuticals has added sorbitol to Fucidin suspension. The company says that this may have implications for patients who are fructose intolerant and a statement reflecting this has been added to the information sheet attached to the bottle. The new formulation is expected to be supplied from the end of June.

Powergel

All marketing and distribution responsibilities for Powergel (ketoprofen), pack sizes 50g, 100g and the twin-pack (2 x 50g), have been transferred from Pharmacia to A Menarini Pharmaceuticals. The product will now be available from A Menarini Pharmaceuticals’s distributor, Exel, (fax 01295 228826). For other enquiries contact A Menarini Pharmaceuticals (tel 01628 856400).

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Discontinued

Dimotane LA

Wyeth Laboratories is discontinuing Dimotane LA (brompheniramine maleate) tab-lets, pack size 28, with immediate effect.

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Miscellany

Glutafin bread mix

Glutafin Gluten-free bread mix has been launched by Nutricia Dietary Care. The bread mix has been approved by the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances and is available on prescription for coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (net price, £4.83).

PGD flow chart

A flow chart on patient group directions (PGD), “To PGD or not PGD? — that is the question” has been produced by the Pharmacy Community Liaison Group. Copies can be obtained free of charge from Curtis Buckley, 53 Kingsway Place, Sans Walk, Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0LU (tel 020 7251 5156).

ABPI guide

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has launched “Target Alzheimer’s”, the latest in a series of guides which describing the pharmaceutical industry’s prog-ress in major disease areas. The guide is available free of charge from the ABPI, 12 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DY (tel 020 7930 3477).

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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.

Torbet products are available from

Torbet Laboratories Limited, Unit 14D Wendover Road, Rackheath Industrial Estate, Rackheath, Norwich, Norfolk NR13 6LH (tel 01603 735200)

torbetol: acne lotion 50ml £2.46, £4.13

Farillon (increased from June 1)

anethaine: cream 25g £2.02, £3.52

birley’s: antacid powder 35g £2.29, £3.85

calsalettes: sugar-coated tablets 60 £2.62, £4.41; uncoated tablets 60 £2.64, £4.41

carbellon: tablets 50 £2.25, £4.02, 250 £9.02, £15.94

chocovite: tablets 100 £3.86, £6.49

fam-lax with phenolphthalein: tablets 12 £5.50

fam-lax senna: tablets 30 £2.38, £3.99

junior kao-c: suspension 100ml £2.08, £3.49

kest: tablets 50 £1.90, £3.21

kest with phenolphthalein: tablets 50 £5.50

moorland: tablets 20 x 36 £36.93, each £1.72

Ferring Pharmaceuticals (to increase from July 1)

ddavp: injection 1ml x 10 £11.80

intranasal solution 2.5ml £10.45

tablets 100µg 90 £46.57, 200µg 90 £93.15

glypressin: vials 1mg x 5 £104.50

menogon: ampoules 75iu x 10 £106.43

zomacton: vials 12iu £87.44

Napp Pharmaceuticals (increased from June 7)

codafen continus: tablets 300/20mg 56 £6.40, 112 £12.78

dhc continus: tablets 60mg 56 £6.69, 90mg £10.53, 120mg 56 £14.07

flexin-25 continus: tablets 25mg 56 £7.27

flexin-ls continus: tablets 50mg 28 £7.27

flexin continus: tablets 75mg 28 £10.38

gastrobid continus: tablets 15mg 56 £10.33

imazin xl: tablets 60/75mg 28 £10.76; forte tablets 60/150mg 28 £10.76

palladone: capsules 1.3mg 56 £8.82, 2.6mg 56 £17.64

palladone sr: capsules 2mg 56 £18.73, 4mg 56 £25.67, 8mg 56 £50.07, 16mg 56 £95.12, 24mg 56 £142.70

phyllocontin continus: tablets 225mg 56 £3.34; forte tablets 350mg 56 £5.55; paediatric tablets 100mg 56 £2.15

remedeine: 20/500mg tablets 56 £6.22, 112 £12.42; forte tablets 56 £7.67

uniphyllin continus: tablets 200mg 56 £4.12, 300mg 56 £6.27, 400mg 56 £7.44

(decreased from June 7)

zanidip: tablets 10mg 28 £7.80

Schering Health Care (decreased from June 1)

betaferon: injection 3ml x 15 £727.60

Shire Pharmaceuticals (to decrease from June 25)

calcichew: tablets 500mg 100 £9.33

meptid: tablets 200mg 112 £22.11

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