The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7219 p515
12 October 2002

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MeReC — statins, HRT and etanercept

The Heart Protection Study (PJ, 6 July, p4) supports the practice of targeting patients based on their absolute risk of suffering a cardiovascular event and indicates that statins should be an option for all high-risk patients, the latest issue of MeReC Extra states.

However, it adds that it would be premature for primary care organisations to make sweeping changes to national service framework-driven policies for identifying, treating and following up high-risk patients.

The issue also looks at the implications of the Women's Health Initiative Study (PJ, 13 July, p43) and a change to the licensed indications of etanercept (Enbrel) (PJ, 22 June, p869). A copy is included with this week's issue of The Journal sent to community and hospital pharmacists in England and Wales. It is also available on the National Prescribing Centre's websites (www.npc.co.uk and nww.npc.ppa.nhs.uk).