The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published two Drug Safety Update articles for June 2025.
Earlier this month updated safety and educational materials were made available to support the implementation of the regulatory measures for valproate containing medicines announced in the November 2023 National Patient Safety Alert and the September 2024 Drug Safety Update. These materials also include previous updates to product information on the risk of low birth weight in children exposed to valproate during pregnancy.
More recently, a temporary restriction on the use of the IXCHIQ® Chikungunya vaccine in people aged 65 years and over has been announced. This is a precautionary measure while the MHRA conducts a safety review following very rare fatal reactions reported globally.
Action: Clinicians should be aware of this month's new guidance and implement any necessary changes to practice.