Prescribing Advice for GPs

SMC Update - January 2020

2021-01-19T18:26:31Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Melatonin prolonged-release (Slenyto®) has been rejected following a resubmission for use in the treatment of insomnia in children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years with autism spectrum disorder and / or Smith-Magenis syndrome, where sleep hygiene measures have been insufficient. […]

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Drug Safety Update - January 2021

2021-01-07T16:43:20Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for January 2021 (PDF). This month readers are advised of a review of the risks of major congenital malformations and of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes for antiepileptic drugs conducted by the Commission on Human Medicines. It has confirmed that lamotrigine and levetiracetam are […]

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NICE Guidance - December 2020

2020-12-23T14:07:12Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of December 2020. This month there are eight clinical guidelines, two COVID-19 Rapid Guidelines and one technology appraisal that impact upon primary care. The seven clinical guidelines of relevance to primary care this month have all been […]

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Drug Safety Update - December 2020

2020-12-18T13:10:41Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for December 2020 (PDF). This month readers are advised that systemic and inhaled fluoroquinolones are associated with a small increased risk of heart valve regurgitation. Fluoroquinolones are only recommended for use in serious, life-threatening bacterial infections. It is recommended that other options […]

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SMC Update - December 2020

2020-12-08T09:07:08Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Mexiletine (Namuscla®) has been accepted for restricted use in the symptomatic treatment of myotonia in adult patients with non-dystrophic myotonic disorders. It is noted that this advice applies only in the context of an approved NHSScotland Patient Access Scheme (PAS) arrangement […]

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CKS Updates - November 2020

2020-12-02T08:34:30Z

During November 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were updated in the following areas. Dupuytren's disease Giant cell arteritis Hyponatraemia Macular degeneration - age-related Menopause Osgood-Schlatter disease Support for adult carers All of the topics have been reviewed and updated in keeping with current NICE guidance with minor layout changes. The Menopause topic now includes a lower […]

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NICE Guidance - November 2020

2020-11-26T10:46:58Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of November 2020. This month is one guideline and one medtech innovation briefing that impact upon primary care. The Human and animal bites: antimicrobial prescribing guideline has been published. It sets out an antimicrobial prescribing strategy for […]

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Drug Safety Update - November 2020

2020-11-17T13:25:27Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for November 2020 (PDF). This month readers are advised that modafinil potentially increases the risk of congenital malformations when used in pregnancy. Modafinil should not be used during pregnancy and women of childbearing potential must use effective contraception during treatment and for […]

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SMC Update - November 2020

2020-11-10T22:08:10Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Patiromer (Veltassa®) has been rejected for use in the treatment of hyperkalaemia in adults. The submitting company did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis to gain acceptance by SMC. It should be noted the NICE Guidance exists for England and […]

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CKS Updates - October 2020

2020-12-02T08:22:27Z

During October 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were updated in the following areas. Acute childhood limp Bronchiectasis Gastroenteritis Hand foot and mouth disease Multiple sclerosis Neck lump All of the topics have been reviewed and updated in keeping with current NICE guidance with minor layout changes. The Gastroenteritis topic has undergone major restructuring, with several nodes […]

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NICE Guidance - October 2020

2020-10-28T12:57:40Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of October 2020. This month there are three guidelines, one technology appraisal and one antimicrobial guideline that impact upon primary care. The COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing symptoms (including at the end of life) in the community guideline […]

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Drug Safety Update - October 2020

2020-10-23T12:09:59Z

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published Drug Safety Update for October 2020 (PDF). This month readers are advised of new guidance that has been published on monitoring of patients on warfarin and other anticoagulants during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular it is noted that acute illness may exaggerate the effect of […]

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SMC Update - October 2020

2020-10-13T08:48:31Z

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has issued its monthly advice on newly licensed medicines. Budesonide orodispersible (Jorveza®) has been accepted for restricted use in the treatment of eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) in adults (older than 18 years of age). The restriction limits use to patients unsuccessfully treated with proton pump inhibitors. Action: Clinicians should be aware […]

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CKS Updates - September 2020

2020-10-04T12:10:54Z

During September 2020 Clinical Knowledge Summaries were updated in the following areas. Bone and soft tissue sarcoma - recognition and referral Brain and central nervous system cancers - recognition and referral Breast cancer - recognition and referral Childhood cancers - recognition and referral Gastrointestinal tract (lower) cancers - recognition and referral Gastrointestinal tract (upper) cancers […]

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NICE Guidance - September 2020

2020-10-01T08:27:19Z

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published new or updated guidance for the month of September 2020. This month there are three guidelines, one technology appraisal and one antimicrobial guideline that impact upon primary care. The Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management guideline has been updated. […]

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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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