Prescribing Advice for GPs

SMC Update - December 2015

December 8, 2015 at 1:51 pm | In Prescribing Extra - Drugs | Print | No Comments

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

Atomoxetine (Strattera^®) has been accepted for restricted use in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children of 6 years and older, in adolescents and in adults as part of a comprehensive treatment programme. Treatment must be initiated by a specialist in the treatment of ADHD, such as a paediatrician, child/adolescent psychiatrist, or psychiatrist. Diagnosis should be made according to current DSM criteria or the guidelines in ICD.

Co-careldopa (Duodopa^®) has been rejected for the treatment of advanced levodopa-responsive Parkinson's disease with severe motor fluctuations and hyper-/dyskinesia when available combinations of Parkinson medicinal products have not given satisfactory results. The submitting company’s justification of the treatment’s cost in relation to its health benefits was not sufficient and in addition the company did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis to gain acceptance

Efavirenz (Sustiva^®) has been accepted for use in antiviral combination treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infected children aged 3 months to 3 years and weighing at least 3.5kg.

Ivermectin (Soolantra^®) has been accepted for restricted use as a topical treatment of inflammatory lesions of rosacea (papulopustular) in adult patients. The restriction limits use to patients with moderate to severe inflammatory lesions of rosacea where a topical treatment is considered appropriate.

Naloxegol (Moventig^®) has been accepted for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in adult patients who have had an inadequate response to laxative(s).

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