The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 266 No 7154 p903
June 30, 2001

Products

Prescription Products
• SPC changes for Plendil and Tenormin
• Refolinon storage update
• Trazodone tablets
• Famotidine tablets
• Pamidronate disodium injection
• High strength Nurofen gel
• Haloperidol tablets
• Reminyl tablets
• Promazine injection
• Procarbazine capsules
• Pariet tablets
• Airomir range packaging
Discontinued
• Navoban ampoules
• Roferon-A vials
• Cisplatin injection
• Ensure Bar
Counter medicines
• E45 cream 350g
Miscellany
• Electronic compendium

Recall Oxybutynin tablets

Prescription Products

SPC changes for Plendil and Tenormin

The summaries of product characteristics for Plendil (felodipine) tablets and the Tenormin (atenolol) tablet range have been updated. For Plendil, leucocytoclastic vasculitis, gingivitis and abdominal pain have been added to the undesirable effects section. The storage conditions for Tenormin tablets, Tenormin LS tablets and Tenormin 25 tablets have changed and the tablets should now not be stored above 25C. Both are AstraZeneca products.

Refolinon storage update

The storage conditions for Refolinon injection 30mg/ 10ml has been changed from “store below 25C” to “store at 2–8C”. Pharmacia advises that existing stock should be placed in the refrigerator at 2–8C. It is not necessary to return stock. The colour of cyclophosphamide tablets has changed from bright pink to salmon pink.

Trazodone tablets

Generics (UK) has launched trazodone 150mg tablets (net price, 28 £11.62) .

Famotidine tablets

Bioglan Generics is launching Famotidine tablets in packs of 28 (net price, 20mg £10.70, 40mg £20.30).

Pamidronate disodium injection

Faulding Pharmaceuticals has launched pamidronate disodium injection (net price, 15mg/5ml 5 vials £137.50, 30mg/10ml 1 vial £55, 60mg/10ml 1 vial £110, 90mg/10ml 1 vial £165).

High strength Nurofen gel

Crookes Healthcare is launching Nurofen Gel Maximum Strength (ibuprofen 10 per cent). The pharmacy only product will be available in a 30g tube (net price, 6 £18.76, retail price, 1 £5.25).

Haloperidol tablets

Haloperidol 0.5mg tablets has been launched by Lagap Pharmaceuticals (net price, 28 £11.55).

Reminyl tablets

Shire Pharmaceuticals is launching Reminyl (galantamine) 4mg tablets in packs of 56 (net price, £54.60).

Promazine injection

Promazine injection is being transferred from Genus Pharmaceuticals to Oxford Pharmaceuticals (tel 0208 8610788).

Procarbazine capsules

Further to supply problems with procarbazine 50mg capsules, Cambridge Laboratories says that existing stock is almost exhausted. The supplier of the product, Sigma Tau, is unable to fulfil any of the company’s outstanding orders. The product will not be available again until 2002.

Pariet tablets

Eisai has changed the packaging of Pariet (rabeprazole sodium) 20mg tablets in a new aluminium blister strip with no outer foil pouch or dessicant. The shelf-life of the tablets in the new blister strips is extended to 24 months, whereas the previous blister strips had a shelf-life of three months once removed from the outer foil. The blister strips for the 10mg tablets will be changed later this year. Removal of tablets from individual blisters is not recommended until before administration.

Airomir range packaging

The packaging of 3M Health Care’s Airomir (salbutamol sulphate) Inhaler and Airomir Autohaler have been redesigned. The patient information leaflet has also been updated and greater use has been made of diagrams showing correct inhaler technique and cleaning methods.

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Discontinued

Navoban ampoules

Novartis Pharmaceuticals is discontinuing Navoban (tropisetron) ampoules 2mg/2ml, pack size 1, when stock is exhausted. The company expects this to be in August and says that the 5-vial packs remain available.

Roferon-A vials

Roche products will be discontinuing Roferon-A 3 million-unit single-dose vials, pack size 1, and Roferon-A 18 million-unit multi-dose vials, pack size 3 when stocks are exhausted.

Cisplatin injection

Pharmacia is discontinuing cisplatin 10mg injection, single vials, when stocks are exhausted.

Ensure Bar

Abbott Nutrition has discontinued Ensure Bar from its range of Ensure products.

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Counter medicines

E45 cream 350g

A 350g tub of E45 cream has been launched by Crookes Healthcare (retail price, £6.49).

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Miscellany

Electronic compendium

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has launched a new version of the electronic Medicines Compendium (www.emc.vhn.net). The ABPI says that pharmaceutical companies can now publish information on to the website within minutes of getting approval from the Medicines Control Agency.

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