French regulator publishes interaction thesaurus
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Afssaps, the French medicines regulator, has published an updated version of its guide to drug interactions to help prescribers avoid adverse reactions. Its Thesaurus describes four categories of drug interaction: contraindicated, discouraged use, use with caution and consider carefully. The interactions catalogued in the publication either provoke adverse reactions or diminish the efficacy of the active substances. An earlier version of the Thesaurus was published in December.
You may also be interested in...
Cervarix link to UK girl's death "unlikely"
Local health authorities in Coventry, UK, say it is most unlikely that vaccination with GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix (human papillomavirus vaccine) was the cause of the death of a 14-year-old schoolgirl on September 28th.
Generic Topamax launched in European markets
Patents on Janssen-Cilag's (Johnson & Johnson) anti-epileptic Topamax/Epitomax (topiramate) expired in many European countries on September 25th, and generics companies are launching their own versions quickly.
NICE confirms limits on Alimta for lung cancer
Lilly's Alimta (pemetrexed) has been recommended as a first-line treatment for some patients in England and Wales with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in binding guidance for the national health service.