Scottish Medicines Consortium offers more advice for NHS Scotland
Lumiracoxib (Prexige), a selective cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitor, is one of four products that have been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for use within NHS Scotland.
Lumiracoxib is accepted for the symptomatic relief of osteoarthritis
for patients in whom a COX-2 inhibitor is deemed appropriate —but
not for patients with established ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular
disease, peripheral arterial disease or moderate or severe congestive
heart failure. It should be used cautiously in patients at significant
cardiovascular risk.
Growth hormone injection somatroprin (Genotropin) is accepted for restricted
use in the treatment of growth delay in children born small for gestational
age and who fail to show catch-up growth by at least four years of age.
The new sildenafil formulation, Revatio, has been accepted for the treatment
of pulmonary arterial hypertension, to improve exercise capacity in patients
with the condition. This is an orphan indication with limited evidence
from short-term clinical trials, and is therefore restricted to initiation
by experts in the management of pulmonary vascular disease and specialists
working in the Scottish Peripheral Vascular Unit, at the Western Infirmary,
Glasgow.
The SMC has also approved budesonide in the new Easyhaler
inhalation device. Available in three strengths, the inhaled corticosteroid
is accepted for the treatment of mild, moderate or severe
persistent asthma in adults and children over six years of age.
The following medicines were rejected by the SMC: aprepitant (Emend)
for prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with moderately emetogenic
cancer chemotherapy; modafinil (Provigil) for treatment of excessive
sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome;
rasagiline (Azilect) for treatment of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease
as adjunct therapy (with levodopa) in patients with end-of-dose fluctuations,
or as monotherapy (without levodopa); and temozolomide (Temodal) for
treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme concomitantly with
radiotherapy and subsequently as monotherapy. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader