The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7262 p200
16 August 2003

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Scottish Medicines Consortium (more)

Scotland endorses new arthritis drug

The Scottish Medicines Consortium has given the green light to valdecoxib (Bextra) to be used for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis within the National Health Service in Scotland.

The SMC says valdecoxib should be considered for patients at high risk of gastrointestinal adverse effects, although it adds that there is no evidence of any advantages or disadvantages compared with other selective cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors.

The SMC has ruled on three other drugs this month. The antiretroviral agent enfuvirtide (Fuzeon) was given a cautious welcome but adefovir dipivoxil (Hepsera) for chronic hepatitis B and memantine (Ebixa) for Alzheimer’s disease were not recommended for use.

Details of the SMC rulings are available online.