NICE published draft guidance recommending roflumilast (Daxas, AstraZeneca) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In 2012, NICE issued guidance that recommended roflumilast only if patients were taking it as part of a research study. New evidence since that guidance was published led to a positive recommendation for routine use. The company estimates that around 122,000…
The female factor in clinical trials
The female factor in clinical trials The European Parliament will discuss a non-binding report that calls for medicine labels to state whether the drugs were specifically tested in women and whether men and women may face different side effects. The report, drafted by the Spanish MEP Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, asks the European Commission and EU…
Alzheimer’s: Study in mice show new drugs could restore memory loss
Alzheimer’s advance: Early stage study in mice show new drugs could restore memory loss and prolong life An international team has announced a new advance in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease by identifying a new drug target that not only improves symptoms of brain degeneration it also extends the life-span of terminally ill mice. The…
Draft guidance recommends pomalidomide (Imnovid, Celgene)
NICE has published draft guidance recommending pomalidomide (Imnovid, Celgene) for treating some people with multiple myeloma. New data, including updated comparisons of pomalidomide with other treatments, was presented as part of this review. The committee concluded that pomalidomide could be recommended as a clinically and cost effective use of NHS resources in people whose disease…
WAKE UP Call: New EU Action Plan to fight Antimicrobial resistance!
Statement: WAKE UP Call: New EU Action Plan to fight Antimicrobial resistance! 18 November 2016 – on European Antibiotics Awareness Day (EAAD) the European Commission announced the launch of a new Action Plan to fight Antimicrobial Resistance in 2017. The aim is to reduce the over or misuse of antibiotics across all relevant sectors in…
Pancreatic cancer drug not recommended
Pancreatic cancer drug not recommended People with pancreatic cancer have very limited treatment options. HIgh costs of pegylated liposomal irinotecan means it is too expensive to recommend. said NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) as given in their draft guidance not recommending pegylated liposomal irinotecan also called nal-iri, Onivyde and made by Shire),…
Best Practice Award for General Practitioners
Best Practice Award for General Practitioners: organised by ASSET project. The European project ASSET – Action plan in Science in Society in Epidemics and Total pandemics is a four-year project and is implemented under the 7th Framework Programme of the EU – DGResearch (FP7). ASSET AIM ASSET – Action Plan on SiS Related Issues in…
Safe Use of Medicines During Pregnancy and Lactation
Safe Use of Medicines During Pregnancy and Lactation The EIWH has added its latest policy brief on women;s health. This can be read here or downloaded as a pdf. There is a lack of information about the safe use of medication during pregnancy and lactation for both women and their healthcare professionals. The U.S. Centers…
EU guidelines on using antimicrobials in human medicine
Proposals for EU guidelines on the prudent use of antimicrobials in human medicine Public consultation opens In the context of ongoing work against rising threats from antimicrobial resistance and given the role of antimicrobial misuse and overuse in the emergence and spread of such resistance, the EC requested ECDC to develop draft EU guidelines on…
EPSCO Council of Ministers meeting, June 2016
EPSCO Council of Ministers Minister Marcella Corcoran Kennedy attended the EPSCO Council of Ministers meeting in Luxembourg. During a discussion on the pharmaceutical system in the EU and its member states, the Minister welcomed the focus on the issue of pharmaceutical pricing. She said: “I absolutely support greater voluntary bilateral and multilateral cooperation between member…