NI pharmacies to withdraw 10mg methotrexate tablets
Community pharmacies in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board area of Northern Ireland are being encouraged not to stock 10mg methotrexate tablets in order to reduce accidental overdoses.
The health board scheme extends a similar policy that already applies
to hospitals in Northern Ireland. In addition, community pharmacies are
being asked to query prescriptions for 10mg tablets with prescribers
and ensure that all instructions to patients emphasise clearly that tablets
should only be taken once a week.
Medication error reduction guidance that has been issued this week in
England by the Department of Health (see p75) says that patients on methotrexate
should be given treatment diaries and more information on the signs of
toxicity. This builds on suggestions made by the National Patient Safety
Agency in July last year (PJ, 5 July 2003, p3).
Prescribers and pharmacists should ensure that they are familiar with
weekly dosing and that patients understand their doses and what to do
about signs of toxicity. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal