Micafungin well tolerated by leukaemia patients Micafungin is as effective at preventing fungal infections in leukaemia patients but better tolerated than older formulations of posaconazole, interim results from a study suggested.…
US antibiotic stewardship reduces drug resistance and cost A comprehensive antibiotic stewardship programme at a New York city hospital saved money, reduced drug-resistant infections and led to an increase in the reporting of adverse events.…
Improved glycaemic control with fixed-ratio combination of insulin degludec and liraglutideA new trial shows that patients who took IDegLira (Xultophy) for 26 weeks experienced a significantly greater mean reduction in HbA1c than patients taking either insulin degludec or liraglutide.…
Experimental antifungal drug causes fewer side effects than voriconazole A new experimental anti-fungal treatment is no less effective than its predecessor, but exposes patients to fewer side effects, a study has found.…
Role for smartphones and social media in medicine safety An app will be developed to make it easy for healthcare professionals and the public to report suspected adverse drug reactions.…
Mixed results for heavy metal emissions from e-cigarettes Emission of two toxic heavy metals – chromium and nickel – is significantly higher with e-cigarettes than with normal cigarettes, research shows.…
NICE calls on pharmacists to check patients’ drug allergy status Pharmacists should routinely check a patient’s drug allergy status before they dispense a prescription, says the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.…
Brief intervention can help patients with medication-overuse headache A structured brief intervention has the potential to change the views and behaviours of patients with medication-overuse headache.…
Antiretroviral treatment linked to suicide Patients taking antiretroviral efavirenz were twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts, attempt suicide or take their own life.…
Reacting to additives in medicinesPreservatives, diluents, binding agents and other pharmaceutical excipients are rarely considered as a potential source of adverse drug reactions. Should they be taken into account more often? Discuss...…