Prescribing Advice for GPs

SMC Update - March 2011 [updated]

March 10, 2011 at 12:40 pm | In Prescribing Extra - Drugs | Print | No Comments

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

Adapalene and benzoyl peroxide gel (Epiduo^®) has been rejected for use in the cutaneous treatment of acne vulgaris when comedones, papules and pustules are present. The clinical and economic case did not consider comparative efficacy versus alternative treatments.

[Updated] To clarify, Epiduo^® has been rejected for use in combination with an oral antibacterial in severe acne in individuals who are contraindicated to or refuse treatment with oral isotretinoin.

Exenatide (Byetta^®) has been accepted for restricted use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in combination with thiazolidinediones with or without metformin in patients who have not achieved adequate glycaemic control. The restriction is to use in combination with metformin and a thiazolidinedione as a third-line pre-insulin treatment option.

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