Prescribing Advice for GPs

SMC August Update

August 19, 2008 at 12:41 pm | In Prescribing Extra - Drugs |  Print | No Comments

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on new medicines.

Following a resubmission, lidocaine 5% patches have been accepted for restricted use the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with previous herpes zoster infection (post-herpetic neuralgia). The patches are recommended only when first-line systemic therapies have been ineffective or poorly tolerated.

Following a resubmission, buprenorphine transdermal patch (BuTrans^®) has been rejected for the treatment of severe opioid responsive pain conditions because the economic analysis was not sufficiently robust to gain acceptance.

Melatonin 2mg prolonged-release tablets (Circadin^®) for the short-term treatment of primary insomnia and venlafaxine extended release capsules (Efexor XL^®) for treatment of moderate to severe generalised social anxiety disorder/social phobia in adults have both been rejected because the manufacturers failed to make a submission to SMC regarding this product in this indication.

[Update]
Clobetasol propionate (Etrivex Shampoo^®) has been accepted for use in the topical treatment of moderate scalp psoriasis in adults. This product was shown to be non-inferior and of an equivalent price to an existing clobetasol formulation when used daily for a maximum of 4 weeks.

Action: Clinicians should be aware of the recommendations of the SMC. Routine use of rejected and restricted medicines should be avoided.