The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7315 p309
4 September 2004

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

PDF 74K, Acrobat Reader

Products

New medicines
• None
Prescription Products
• Amlodipine
• Calmurid HC
SPC changes
• MabThera
Discontinued products
• Stiedex
Supply issues
• Decadron
• AmBisome
Counter products
• Dermol
• Lemsip
Products miscellany
• None

Recall Durogesic

New medicines

None

Back to Top

Prescription Products

Amlodipine
Amlodipine tablets are now available from Alpharma in Arrow livery; net price, 5mg 28 £11.67, 10mg 28 £17.27.

Calmurid HC
Calmurid HC (hydrocortisone, urea and lactic acid) cream is now available in a 50g pack; net price, £4.67 (Galderma). The 100g pack will be discontinued when current stocks are exhausted. The 30g pack remains available.

Back to Top

SPC changes

MabThera
MabThera (rituximab) is now additionally indicated for the treatment of previously untreated patients with stage III-IV follicular lymphoma in combination with CVP chemotherapy (Roche). The recommended dose for this indication is 375 mg/m2 body surface area for eight cycles (21 days/cycle), administered on day 1 of each chemotherapy cycle after IV administration of the corticosteroid component of CVP. The summary of product characteristics has been updated accordingly. Aplastic anaemia has been added as a very rare serious adverse reaction observed during post-marketing surveillance of the product. See SPC.

Back to Top

Discontinued products

Stiedex
Stiedex (desoximetasone) LP oily cream 30g is being discontinued (Stiefel). The company expects stocks to be exhausted in October. The 100g pack was discontinued in June. Stiedex lotion has also been discontinued.

Back to Top

Supply issues

Decadron
Merck Sharp & Dohme says that there is likely to be a shortage of Decadron (dexamethasone) tablets 0.5mg since production of this product has currently ceased and is undergoing review. The company expects supplies to remain available until late September. Details of alternative supplies from MSD on 01992 467272.

AmBisome
Gilead Sciences says that despite supply problems with amphotericin B, supplies of AmBisome (liposomal amphotericin B) are unaffected and remain available.

Back to Top

Counter products

Dermol
Dermol (liquid paraffin 10 per cent, isopropyl myristate 10 per cent, benzalkonium chloride 0.1 per cent and chlorhexidine dihydrochloride 0.1 per cent) cream is now available from Dermal Laboratories. Recommended retail price, 500g squeezable bottle £13.14, 100g tube £5.68. Legal category: P.

Lemsip
Reckitt Benckiser has launched:

• Lemsip Cold & Flu Sinus 12 hr Ibuprofen + Pseudoephedrine (ibuprofen 300mg and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 45mg) capsules; recommended retail price, 10 £3.99. Legal category: P

• Lemsip Max Sinus All Night Decongestant (oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.05 per cent w/v) spray; recommended retail price, 15ml £3.49. Legal category: GSL

Back to Top