SMC endorses four and rejects four drugs
The Scottish Medicines Consortium has issued advice on eight medicines to the National Health Service in Scotland.
It has endorsed the use of methyl amonolevulinate (Metvix cream) for
actinic keratosis. The same medicine is approved for treatment of basal
cell carcinoma but use is restricted to specialist dermatologists and
to superficial lesions.
Other drugs accepted for restricted use are interferon beta 1a (Avonex)
for ambulatory patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis and olmesartan
(Olmetec) as an alternative treatment in patients with essential hypertension
unable to tolerate an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. Mometasone
furoate (Asmanex Twisthaler) has been endorsed as a second-line agent
for patients with asthma following treatment failure on first-line inhaled
steroids.
The following drugs were not recommended for use: pimecrolimus (Elidel)
for eczema, sertraline (Lustral) for post traumatic stress disorder,
ketotifen hydrogen fumarate (Zaditen) eye drops for hay fever, and Clostridium
botulinum toxin type A (Botox) for focal spasticity associated with stroke. |
