Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

MHRA instructs all UK hydroxychloroquine COVID-19 clinical trials to suspend recruitment

All UK clinical trials using hydroxychloroquine to treat or prevent COVID-19 have been instructed to suspend recruitment of further participants.…

First COVID-19 treatment to be made available for use in UK outside a clinical trial

Remdesivir will become the first COVID-19 treatment in the UK to be made available for use outside a clinical trial.…

Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used to treat the symptoms of COVID-19, says NHS England

The NHS has changed its advice on only taking paracetamol to treat the symptoms of COVID-19 and now says that patients can take either paracetamol or ibuprofen to self-medicate for symptoms such as fever or headache.…

Government allows bulk import and storage of medical cannabis

The government has announced that licensed medicines wholesalers will be able to hold reserve stocks of medical cannabis, effective immediately.…

Codeine should not be available over the counter, says chair of opioid expert working group

Low-dose codeine should no longer be available to buy over the counter, the chair of the UK’s Commission on Human Medicines opioid expert working group has said.…

Medicines regulator to publish review into safety of OTC laxatives

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is to publish the results of a four-year review into the safety of over-the-counter stimulant laxatives, a spokesperson has confirmed.…

Government opens talks on cutting delays to provision of medical cannabis

The government is considering whether licensed wholesalers could hold reserve stocks of medical cannabis to reduce delays in patients receiving their medicines.…

‘Reporting illicit drug reactions’ pilot to close following lack of use

A pilot of a national system for reporting unexpected or severe illicit drug reactions has been stopped because of a lack of use by healthcare professionals.…

Another manufacturer recalls ranitidine products over NDMA contamination

Medley Pharma has recalled unexpired stocks of ranitidine over possible contamination with N-nitrosodimethylamine.…

FMD finds no falsified medicines in UK after ten months, says MHRA

Safety features mandated through the falsified medicines directive have not detected any falsified medicines in the UK since its launch.…