The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7328 p811
4 December 2004

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Products

New medicines
• Aldara cream
Prescription Products
• Infanrix-IPV
• Clarithromycin tablets
SPC changes
• Dysport
Discontinued products
• Celance starter pack
Products miscellany
• Zydol
• Seretide Evohaler

New medicines

Aldara cream
Composition: Imiquimod 5 per cent
Presentation: White to slightly yellow cream.
Class: Antiviral.
Indications: Topical treatment of external genital and perianal warts (condylomata acuminata) and small superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC) in adult patients.
Dosage: For external genital warts Aldara should be applied three times per week before sleep for up to 16 weeks. For small sBCC it should be applied before sleep five times per week, for six weeks.
Precautions: Avoid contact with eyes, not recommended until the skin has healed after any previous drug or surgical treatment.
Side effects: Very common (>=10 per cent): application site pruritus and pain.
Legal category: POM
Net price: 12x 12.5mg sachets £55.18.
Contact details: 3M Health Care Ltd, 3M House, Morley Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 1EP.

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Prescription Products

Infanrix-IPV
Infanrix-IPV (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (acellular, component) and poliomyelitis (inactivated) vaccine (adsorbed)) is now available from GlaxoSmithKline; net price, 1 pre-filled syringe (0.5ml), £18.88. Legal category: POM.

Clarithromycin tablets
Clarithromycin 250mg and 500mg tablets are now available from Teva UK; net price, 14, 250mg £10.12, 500mg, £21.20. Legal category: POM.

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SPC changes

Dysport
Dysport (clostridium botulinum type A toxin-haemagglutinin complex) is now additionally licensed for use in the treatment of focal spasticity of the arm, in conjunction with physiotherapy. The recommended dose is 1,000 units of Dysport, administered by intramuscular injection and distributed among five muscles. The minimum dosing interval for re-injection in paediatric cerebral palsy spasticity has been extended to 12 weeks. Dysport should be administered with caution to patients with existing problems in swallowing or breathing as these problems can worsen if toxin spreads to relevant muscles. The shelf life of packaged product is now 15 months at 2–8C. See SPC.

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Discontinued products

Celance starter pack
Celance (pergolide) monotherapy 30-day starter pack 50µg and 250 µg has been discontinued (Lilly). All other formulations remain available.

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Products miscellany

Zydol
The marketing and distribution of all formulations of Zydol (tramadol hydrochloride) will transfer from Pfizer to Grünenthal on 1 January 2005. Further details on 0870 3518960.

Seretide Evohaler
Seretide (salmeterol and fluticasone) Evohalers with an integrated counter will replace existing Seretide Evohalers from 20 December (GlaxoSmithKline). The price remains the same. Further details on 0800 221441. Legal category: POM.

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