Safety warnings

Diabetics told to check faulty ‘hypo’ kits

The UK medicines safety regulator has asked patients with diabetes to check whether they have certain batches of GlucaGen HypoKits after a fault was identified with the kits’ needles.…

FDA strengthens fluoroquinolone warnings

Revised warnings about the risks of being left permanently disabled after taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics have been added to products in the United States following a safety review by the Food and Drug Administration.…

Antibiotics should be prescribed during idelalisib treatment, concludes review

All patients given the cancer drug idelalisib (marketed as Zydelig) should be prescribed antibiotics during treatment and for two to six months after treatment has ended to prevent pneumonia, according to a new Europe-wide proposal.…

The development and safety of proton pump inhibitors

Since the discovery of omeprazole in 1979, dispensing of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in England has increased more than 100-fold, and several products are now available without prescription. Although PPIs are effective and generally well tolerated, observational studies suggest an association with…

Brain scans recommended for at-risk patients taking natalizumab

New measures to reduce the risk of a rare brain infection in multiple sclerosis patients who are prescribed natalizumab (Tysabri) are being recommended by the European Medicines Agency.…

Fusafungine-containing medicines should be withdrawn, says European Medicines Agency

Nasal and mouth sprays containing fusafungine for treating the common cold, tonsillitis and some upper respiratory tract infections should no longer be marketed in the European Union, according to a recommendation from the European Medicines Agency.…

EMA makes recommendations to minimise ketoacidosis with SGLT2 inhibitors

Healthcare professionals should consider the possibility of diabetic ketoacidosis in patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors who have symptoms consistent with the condition even if their blood sugar levels are not high, according to the European Medicines Agency.…

Resources launched to help female patients understand risks of valproate treatment

A credit card-sized patient information card that pharmacists can give to female patients to warn them about the risks of taking valproate while pregnant has been produced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.…

Contaminated packs of St John’s Wort herbal medicines recalled

Contaminated packs of St John’s Wort herbal medicines are being recalled because they contain higher than recommended levels of a toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid, which can cause liver problems in patients.…

FDA issues safety warning about AbbVie’s hepatitis C treatments

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a safety warning about two hepatitis C treatments, which it says can cause serious liver injury and can result in death.…