Prescribing Advice for GPs

Drug Safety Update - September 2020

2020-09-23T16:15:00Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for September 2020 (PDF). This month readers are advised of new recommendations following a review of the risks of dependence and addiction associated with prolonged use of opioid medicines (opioids) for non-cancer pain. Before prescribing opioids it is advised that clinicians discuss […]

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SMC Update - September 2020

2020-09-09T08:04:21Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (Lokelma®) has been accepted for restricted use, following a resubmission, for use in the treatment of hyperkalaemia in adult patients. The restriction limits use to patients with hyperkalaemia (defined as a serum potassium of >6.0mmol/L) with chronic kidney […]

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CKS Updates - August 2020

2020-09-02T15:06:17Z

During August 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were published or updated in the following areas. Analgesia - mild-to-moderate pain Appendicitis Constipation in children HIV infection and AIDS Meningitis - bacterial meningitis and meningococcal disease Restless legs syndrome All of the topics have been reviewed and undergone minor restructuring. The Appendicitis topic has been significantly restructured in […]

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Drug Safety Update - August 2020

2020-08-26T18:21:03Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for August 2020 (PDF). This month readers are advised that clozapine blood levels may need to be monitored more frequently in certain situations, for example if a patient starts or stops smoking, if taking concomitant medications that impact on blood levels or […]

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NICE Guidance - August 2020

2020-08-19T08:49:27Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of August 2020. This month is one guideline and one COVID-19 rapid guideline that impact upon primary care. The Surgical site infections: prevention and treatment guideline has been updated. It covers preventing and treating surgical site infections […]

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SMC Update - August 2020

2020-08-12T08:01:54Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has resumed issuing its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Hydroxycarbamide oral solution (Xromi®) has been accepted for restricted for use in the prevention of vaso-occlusive complications of Sickle Cell Disease in patients over 2 years of age. The restriction limits use to children who are too young to be […]

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CKS Updates - July 2020

2020-08-05T08:32:41Z

During July 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were published or updated in the following areas. Achilles tendinopathy Coeliac disease Corticosteroids - topical (skin), nose, and eyes Diabetes - type 1 Glaucoma Insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes Palpitations Rosacea All of the topics have been reviewed and undergone minor restructuring. The Coeliac disease topic has been […]

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NICE Guidance - July 2020

2020-07-28T20:22:27Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of July 2020. This month are two guidelines and one medtech innovation briefing that impact upon primary care. The COVID-19 rapid guideline: rheumatological autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic bone disorders guideline has been updated. It aims to maximise […]

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Which SGLT-2 Inhibitor?

2020-08-05T10:28:04Z

There are currently four SGLT-2 inhibitors licensed for the treatment of diabetes. Canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin and ertugliflozin. At the 2020 virtual conference of the America Diabetes Association the results of the cardiovascular outcomes study for ertugliflozin were released. This was the final drug in the group to release the results of a cardiovascular study although […]

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CKS Updates - June 2020

2020-08-05T08:26:08Z

During June 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were published or updated in the following areas. Baker's cyst Corticosteroids - inhaled Itch in pregnancy Vitiligo All of the topics have been reviewed and undergone minor restructuring. The Vitiligo topic has been significantly restructured and recommendations have been updated in line with current evidence; several areas have been […]

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NICE Guidance - June 2020

2020-06-29T16:13:32Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of June 2020. This month is one guideline, one medtech innovation briefing and one evidence summary related to COVID-19 that impact upon primary care. The Joint replacement (primary): hip, knee and shoulder guideline has been published. It […]

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Drug Safety Update - June 2020

2020-06-29T16:07:28Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for June 2020 (PDF). This month readers are advised of revised measures to minimise risk of meningioma associated with the use of cyproterone acetate. It is now recommended that cyproterone is contraindicated in patients with previous or current meningioma (for all indications) […]

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CKS Updates - May 2020

2020-07-02T09:24:01Z

During May 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were published or updated in the following areas. Corticosteroids - oral Hepatitis C Pityriasis versicolor Sprains and strains All of the topics have been reviewed and undergone minor restructuring. The Sprains and strains topic has been restructured and recommendations have been updated in line with current evidence; the prognosis […]

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SMC response to COVID-19

2020-05-27T07:34:49Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium has provided an update advising of the decision to adapt their normal ways of working. Meetings have been suspended until further notice in order to release committee members and staff to support work aligned with COVID-19 resilience. A core team will continue to assess the new medicine submissions already in the […]

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NICE Guidance - May 2020

2020-05-26T08:40:49Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of May 2020. This month there are four rapid guideline and evidence reviews and two evidence summaries related to COVID-19 that impact upon primary care. The COVID-19 rapid guideline: rheumatological autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic bone disorders guideline […]

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Drug Safety Update - May 2020

2020-05-21T15:29:43Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for May 2020 (PDF). This month clinicians are advised of a new dedicated COVID-19 Yellow Card reporting site for medicines and medical devices. The site aims to allow rapid identification of new and emerging side effects and medical device incidents in COVID-19 […]

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Influenza medication guidance deactivated for 2019/20

2020-05-19T16:38:32Z

The Department of Health and Social Care has issued a notification (PDF) advising that antivirals for influenza should no longer be prescribed this season. The surveillance data from Public Health England (PHE) indicates that circulation of influenza in the community has returned to baseline levels. As such primary care clinicians should no longer prescribe antiviral […]

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CKS Updates - April 2020

2020-06-03T13:00:47Z

During April 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were published or updated in the following areas. Cataracts Cough Neuropathic pain - drug treatment Pityriasis rosea All of the topics have been reviewed and undergone minor restructuring. The scope of the Neuropathic pain - drug treatment has been updated to indicate that it does not cover sciatica. Action: […]

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Drug Safety Update - April 2020

2020-04-28T08:22:52Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for April 2020 (PDF). This month clinicians are provided with a summary of the key advice and guidance issued so far on medicines safety and pharmacovigilance during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This includes a reminder to make use of the Yellow Card […]

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NICE Guidance - April 2020

2020-04-25T13:27:03Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of April 2020. This month there are seven rapid guideline and evidence reviews and one evidence summary related to COVID-19 that impact upon primary care. The Acute use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for people with or […]

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SMC Update - April 2020

2020-04-25T13:31:50Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Fampridine (Fampyra®) has been accepted, following a resubmission, for use to aid the improvement of walking in adult patients with multiple sclerosis with walking disability (EDSS 4-7). It should be noted that this advice applies only in the context of an […]

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CKS Updates - March 2020

2020-04-25T13:33:28Z

During March 2020 a further eleven Clinical Knowledge Summaries were published or updated in the following areas. [Updated April 2, 2020 to correctly note that these topics are new and updated for March] Bedwetting (enuresis) Coronavirus - COVID 19 Depression Giant cell arteritis Glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) Hirsutism Plantar fasciitis Scarlet fever Self-harm Tiredness/fatigue in […]

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NICE Guidance - March 2020

2020-03-29T21:05:49Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of March 2020. This month there are three guidelines that impact upon primary care. There are also three rapid guideline and evidence reviews related to COVID-19. The Tinnitus: assessment and management guideline has been published. It covers […]

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Drug Safety Update - March 2020

2020-04-25T14:34:06Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for March 2020 (PDF). This month clinicians are advised that the license for ulipristal acetate 5mg (Esmya®) has been suspended to protect public health while a safety review is conducted following a further case of liver injury requiring transplant. The product is […]

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SMC Update - March 2020

2020-03-27T16:18:57Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Cinacalcet granules (Mimpara®) have been rejected for use in secondary hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid carcinoma and primary hyperparathyroidism in adults. The manufacturer failed to make a submission for these indications. NICE recommends cinacalcet for refractory secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with end-stage renal disease […]

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