News | Neurological conditions

News

Coroner writes to ICB following death of patient who took too many of their prescribed drugs

The ‘Prevention of future deaths’ report, published on 16 April 2025, was issued following the death of patient who was waiting for mental health support.…

Published: 24 April 2025

News

NICE recommends cladribine for treating active relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis

Cladribine (Mavenclad; Merck) is recommended for treating active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in adults when high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies would be offered.…

Published: 17 April 2025

News

Patients in emergency departments should be supported to self-administer time-critical medicines, says royal college

Advice produced with the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association urges that emergency departments should hold self-administered time-critical medicines to the same monitoring and governance oversight standards as non self-administered medicines.…

Published: 7 April 2025

News

Alzheimer’s treatments donanemab and lecanemab still not recommended under latest NICE draft guidance

NICE says that the cost of implementing donanemab and lecanemab across the NHS is “significantly higher” than considered acceptable for taxpayers’ money and NHS resources.…

Published: 11 March 2025

News

First non-cannabis treatment for rare form of epilepsy made available on NHS

Fenfluramine is a non-cannabis treatment for patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome who do not respond to existing treatments or clobazam owing to its side effects.…

Published: 20 February 2025

News

More than half of pharmacy staff struggle with mental health over medicines shortages, reveals survey

Respondents to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Workforce Wellbeing Survey also cited inadequate staffing, lack of work–life balance and increased financial pressures as factors that negatively impact their mental health.…

Published: 18 February 2025

News

Two-clinician review for men taking valproate not required, says MHRA

The requirement that two specialists must review any patient aged under 55 years taking valproate will now only apply to patients who are starting the drug.…

Published: 14 February 2025

Feature

The novel schizophrenia drug showing renewed potential for better outcomes

A novel acetylcholine receptor drug has become the first new medicine to treat schizophrenia in decades. But even after gaining approval in the United States, experts are still conflicted on its benefits over current antipsychotic medicines.…

Published: 5 February 2025

Letter

Look out for PANDAS in the UK

'Paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection' (PANDAS) is a neuropsychiatric disease found in children. The onset is sudden and is characterised by symptoms akin with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), such as tics and anxiety (including separation anxie…

Published: 29 January 2025

Opinion

Psychotropic deprescribing in ethnic minority individuals with a learning disability requires a more nuanced approach

People from ethnic minority backgrounds who have a learning disability face ‘double discrimination’ when accessing healthcare services. Culturally sensitive psychotropic deprescribing is just one way this can be improved.…

Published: 23 January 2025