News summary
Research & Development | Branch
meetings Future
Events Conferences
Paracetamol use in late pregnancy is linked
to wheezing among offspring Frequent use of paracetamol in
late pregnancy (after 20 weeks) may increase the risk of wheezing among
offspring, researchers from King's College London and the University of
Bristol report...[more]
MCA launches web version of yellow card scheme
The reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions using a web version
of the yellow card scheme was launched this week by Health Minister Lord
Hunt. The original yellow card scheme has also been extended to include
reporting by all nurses, health visitors and midwives...[more]
Frequent painkiller use associated with double
risk of hypertension People who regularly use paracetamol or
some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be doubling their
risk of hypertension, say researchers from Harvard Medical School and
Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. However, they also say that
use of aspirin is not associated with such an increased risk...[more]
Rotahalers to be discontinued next year
Rotahaler devices (Becotide Rotahaler, Ventolin Rotahaler and Ventide
Rotahaler) along with all Rotacap and Ventide medicines are to be discontinued
by Allen & Hanburys...[more]
Euro-MPs reject proposals to reform availability
of medicines information Proposals to allow pharmaceutical
companies to provide information directly to the public on medicines to
treat AIDS, asthma and diabetes have been rejected by the European Parliament...[more]
High-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer no
better than normal There is no difference in survival or relapse
rate among breast cancer patients receiving high-dose and conventional
chemotherapy, according to the early results of a trial comparing two
regimens...[more]
Emergency Seroxat role for pharmacists
Pharmacists in Ireland have been asked by the Irish Medicines Board to
tell patients taking Seroxat (paroxetine) about the risk of self-harm
and suicide...[more]
NICE makes recommendations for use of thrombolytic
drugs for acute MI Bolus drugs should be used to treat acute
myocardial infarction (MI) when patients are treated before being admitted
to hospital, according to new guidance from the National Institute for
Clinical Excellence...[more]
MRC stops HRT safety trial early
A trial looking at the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy
(HRT) has been stopped early, the Medical Research Council announced...[more]
Study in rats suggests long-term HRT in Alzheimer’s
may worsen memory Memory loss among postmenopausal women with
Alzheimer’s disease may be worsened if they take oestrogen therapy
for long periods, say researchers from the University of Arizona...[more]
DoH seeks more smallpox vaccine The
Government is looking to purchase further smallpox vaccine in addition
to the batch it has already ordered from Powderject...[more]
Gabapentin and neuropathic pain Gabapentin
reduces pain and improves some quality-of-life measures in patients with
neuropathic pain, say British and Irish researchers...[more]
Restrict triptans to 10 doses a month
Triptan use should be restricted to a maximum of 10 single doses per month,
according to researchers...[more]
Bisphosphonate can benefit cancer
A third generation bisphosphonate has been shown to reduce skeletal complications
among breast cancer patients...[more]
Mesalazine prophylaxis could be used to prevent
colorectal cancer Evidence is building that prophylaxis with
mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid, 5-ASA) is effective in preventing colorectal
cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to
a leading gastroenterologist...[more]
A daily dose of lansoprazole could reduce exacerbations
in difficult to control asthma Daily use of the proton pump
inhibitor lansoprazole reduces asthma exacerbations and improves the general
well-being of patients with asthma and symptoms of acid reflux, new data
shows...[more]
Combination therapy benefits RA Interim
results from a phase II trial involving 122 patients reveal that, after
six months of treatment, 80 per cent of patients taking methotrexate plus
rituximab (MabThera) showed a 20 per cent improvement in their rheumatoid
arthritis, compared with only a third of those taking standard methotrexate
monotherapy...[more]
ASDA to repeat 'flu vaccination offer
The ASDA supermarket chain is to offer influenza vaccinations for a second
time this year because sales on the first occasion were so successful...[more]
PSNC medicines management project enters main
phase The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee's medicines
management project — the community pharmacy medicines management
project (CPMMP) — has now entered its main phase...[more]
Industry provides CPD support Reckitt
Benckiser has launched a "CPD toolkit" for community pharmacists
at a conference held in association with the National Pharmaceutical Association
and the College of Pharmacy Practice...[more]
Rural pharmacists' group wound up
The Rural Pharmacists Association (RPA), which was formed to represent
the interests of pharmacists working in rural areas, is to be wound up
because its officers have decided that the need for such a group has declined...[more]
LINKScripts 2 update AAH Pharmaceuticals
has launched an updated version of its LINKScripts 2 pharmacy computer
system...[more]
NPA board election The National Pharmaceutical
Association is holding an election to fill a board vacancy for its Birmingham,
Coventry and West Midlands area caused by the co-option of Andy Murdock,
director of pharmacy at Lloydspharmacy, to the board...[more]
Pneumovax supply problem Aventis
Pasteur MSD is experiencing problems meeting demand for its pneumococcal
vaccine Pneumovax II...[more]
Green book goes online ...[more]
MeReC Briefing update ...[more]
Research and Development
Thrombin inhibitor more effective than enoxaparin
at preventing blood clots A novel direct thrombin inhibitor
has been found to be more effective than enoxaparin (Clexane) at preventing
venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing elective hip or knee replacement
surgery...[more]
New data supports rosuvastatin Rosuvastatin
(Crestor) is more effective at reducing low density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol levels in patients with cardiovascular risk factors than atorvastatin,
simvastatin and pravastatin, researchers say...[more]
Long-acting form of filgrastim improves chemotherapy-induced
neutropenia Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta), a long-acting form of
filgrastim (Neupogen), has the potential to improve the management of
neutropenia in cancer patients with non-myeloid malignancies receiving
myelosuppressive chemotherapy, new data show...[more]
Novel antifolate drug in combination with gemcitabine
promising therapy The novel antifolate drug pemetrexed (Alimta)
in combination with gemcitabine is promising for patients with advanced
non-small cell lung cancer, phase II data show...[more]
Alternative to penicillin for erysipelas
Pristinamycin, an antimicrobial active against Streptococcus pyogenes,
could be an alternative to a regimen of intravenous and then oral penicillin
for the treatment of erysipelas, an acute superficial cellulitis, researchers
report...[more]
5HT4 agonist is effective IBS treatment
Tegaserod (Zelmac), a 5HT4 partial agonist, is
effective for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) without
diarrhoea, according to new data...[more]
Enzyme inhibitor that targets cancer cells spares
healthy cells A new enzyme inhibitor, bortezomib, may be an
effective way of targeting cancer cells while sparing healthy ones, according
to Millennium Pharmaceuticals, the company developing the drug...[more]
Synthetic molecule provides potential alternative
to HRT for osteoporosis A synthetic compound that could be
used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for osteoporosis
has been identified by researchers...[more]
Cancer cells selectively targeted
A new drug that selectively targets breast cancer cells is expected to
enter clinical trials early 2003...[more]
DNA-repair process disabled A new
class of drugs that disable the DNA-repair process after radiotherapy
has been developed by researchers at the Cancer Research UK unit, Newcastle
University...[more]
Thalidomide analogues Two classes
of second generation thalidomide analogues have shown anti-angiogenic
activity independently of immunomodulatory effects...[more]
|
