Category: Medication Alerts
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Self medication can lead to Drug poisonings from chloroquine (potential Corona Virus treatment)
AVOID SELF MEDICATION Currently social media groups spreading information regarding the dosage for Corona Virus treatment in the US (Hydroxy Chloroquine + Azithromycin) and stating to have this treatment at home. The World Health Organization recommended that people suffering from COVID-19-like symptoms should avoid self-medicating. As Hydroxychloroquine is prescription only medication (POM) and dose for…
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CORONAVIRUS: Combination of Anti-malerial medication and antibiotics could shorten COVID-19 – Researchers say
Researchers in France have issued a statement detailing how a combination of antimalarial medication and antibiotics could be a vital weapon in the battle against coronavirus. In the statement, which was released Sunday, IHU-Méditerranée Infection in Marseille described: · For all febrile patients who come to consult, to carry out tests for the diagnosis of infection with Covid 19;…
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Safety alert: Baricitinib: risk of venous thromboembolism
MHRA issued alert to discontinue baricitinib treatment permanently if clinical features of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism occur. Prescribers are reminded to use caution if using baricitinib in patients with risk factors for deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism in addition to rheumatoid arthritis. Baricitinib (Olumiant) is indicated for the treatment of moderate to…
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Suspension of ulipristal acetate for uterine fibroids
European Medicines Agency (EMA) Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) has recommended, as a precautionary measure, that women should stop taking 5mg ulipristal acetate (Esmya and generic medicines) for uterine fibroids while a safety review started this month is ongoing. No new patients should start treatment with these medicines, says the EMA. The start of the review…
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Counterfeit antimalarials in West and Central Africa
WHO releases medical product alert on Monday regarding falsified Quinine Sulphate 300mg presented in below six different combinations of batch numbers, expiry and manufacturing dates. The fraudulent use of the outdated WHO Essential Drugs Programme logo may create a false sense of product quality. “Recently received results of analysed samples show they do not contain any of…
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Novartis announces MET inhibitor capmatinib (INC280), the first potential treatment for METex14 mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer, granted priority FDA review
Novartis announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted and granted Priority Review to capmatinib’s (INC280) New Drug Application (NDA). Capmatinib is a MET inhibitor being evaluated as a treatment for first-line and previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic MET exon 14 skipping (METex14) mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). If…
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Fiasp – ultrafast acting insulin aspart injection – New approved paediatric indication
Fiasp (manufactured by Novo Nordisk) is a new ultrafast-acting insulin drug that allows for safe and effective control of blood glucose rising rapidly after meals. Diabetes patients often have difficulty controlling post-meal blood glucose, barring them from reaching HbA1c target goals. The additions of vitamin B3 (niacinamide) and L-arginine amino acid to existing fast-acting insulin…
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Safety Alert: Serious Breathing Problems with Gabapentin and Pregabalin
Gabapentinoids are FDA-approved to treat a variety of conditions including partial seizures and nerve pain from spinal cord injury, shingles, and diabetes. Other approved uses include fibromyalgia and restless legs syndrome. Gabapentin was first approved in 1993 and pregabalin was first approved in 2004. They inhibit the alpha 2-delta subunit of voltage- gated calcium channel.…
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Safety alert on Weight loss drug – BBS Superman Capsules
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has tested a product labelled Bling Bling Sister BBS Superman capsules and found that: The Bling Bling Sister BBS Superman capsules contain the undeclared substances Sibutramine and Orlistat “Bling Bling Sister BBS Superman capsules pose a serious risk to your health and should not be taken. Consumers are advised that Sibutramine is a…
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Update on safety of Novartis Beovu injections
Beovu injections are used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, a condition which can eventually lead to blindness and affects around 20 million people worldwide. Novartis received approval from the FDA for Beovu in October and the go-ahead in Europe earlier this month. Recently American Society of Retinal Specialists (ASRS) raised concerns on safety of…