NICE issues two new quality standards for epilepsy and updated commissioning guidance
Source: NICE
Area: News
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published two the quality standards for epilepsy - (i) Epilepsies in adults (aged 18 years and older) and (ii) Epilepsies in children and young people (aged up to 18 years). Each quality standard is made up of 9 quality statements which, when delivered collectively, should contribute to improving the effectiveness, quality, safety and experience of care for people with epilepsy.
NICE has also issued an updated guide to support the integrated commissioning of high-quality, evidence-based services for the referral and di...
Source: NeLM - News - February 28, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Medicines information is changing - NeLM integration into NHS Evidence
Source: NICE
Area: News
In April 2013 the way you access and receive medicines information via the National electronic Library (NeLM) is changing.
From April 1 2013, evidence currently available through the National electronic Library for Medicines (NeLM) will only be accessible via NHS Evidence provided by NICE, and NeLM will cease to exist.
NICE is working with the UK Medicines Information service (UKMi) to bring medicines information together into one place, NHS Evidence, making it simpler for those with medicines and prescribing responsibilities to view, search and filter high quality e...
Source: NeLM - News - February 28, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Mirabegron (BetmigaT) launched in the UK for overactive bladder
Source: Press release - Astellas Pharma Europe
Area: News
Mirabegron (BetmigaT) is now available in the UK for the symptomatic treatment of urgency, increased micturition frequency and/or urgency incontinence as may occur in adult patients with overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome. The recommended dose is 50mg once daily with or without food.
Mirabegron is available as 25mg and 50mg prolonged-release tablets (NHS list price for both strengths: £29 for 30 tabs).
Please see SPC for prescribing details. (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 27, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Network meta-analysis: Comparative effectiveness and safety of oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction
Source: European urology
Area: News
Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5-Is) including sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil are currently the first-line therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED). However there are few comparative data investigating the effects of different classes of oral PDE5-Is.
To address this gap in knowledge a systematic search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared different PDE5-Is (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, udenafil, mirodenafil, and avanafil) or PDE5-Is with a placebo for ED. The authors used networ...
Source: NeLM - News - February 27, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
NICE costing template for its guidance on ranibizumab for diabetic macular oedema (TA 274)
Source: NICE
Area: News
NICE has published a costing statement to accompany its guidance on the use of ranibizumab for treating visual impairment due to diabetic macular oedema (TA 274).
The costing report calculates that: "the annual cost associated with implementing this recommendation is estimated as £41,000 for a population of 100,000 based on the standard assumptions in the model once a steady state is reached. There are also anticipated to be non-recurrent costs from treating the prevalent population on implementation of the guideline of around £341,000. It is assumed that people with eligible eyes will...
Source: NeLM - News - February 27, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Horizon scanning: Phase III Trial investigating cilengitide fails to meet primary endpoint of increasing overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma
Source: PharmaLive
Area: News
According to a report by PharmaLive, a phase III trial investigating cilengitide for newly diagnosed glioblastoma has failed to meet the primary endpoint, of increasing overall survival.
The phase III trial CENTRIC, was a randomised, controlled, multi-centre open-label trial which evaluated the safety and efficacy of cilengitide in combination with temozolomide and radiotherapy in more than 500 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma and methylated MGMT gene promoter status. (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Clinical Commissioning Groups to get £186m for IT
Source: E-Health Insider
Area: News
The NHS Commissioning Board has announced that Clinical Commissioning Groups will get £186m a year to spend on GP IT. The money will need to be shared between England's 211 proposed CCGs, which will formally take over commissioning local NHS services on 1 April. (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Review: Muscular dystrophies
Source: Lancet
Area: News
The Lancet has featured a review describing the management of patients with muscular dystrophies. Muscular dystrophies are characterised by progressive muscle weakness that affects limb, axial, and facial muscles to a variable degree.
The review discusses the following topics:
. Classification of muscular dystrophies
. Clinical manifestations
. Management and prevention
. Pathogenesis and associated treatment approaches (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
RCT: Safety and efficacy of colistimethate sodium dry powder for inhalation (Colobreathe DPI) in patients with cystic fibrosis
Source: Thorax
Area: News
According to a study published early online in Thorax, colistimethate sodium dry powder for inhalation (Colobreathe DPI) CDPI has demonstrated efficacy by virtue of non-inferiority to tobramycin inhaler solution, in lung function after 24 weeks of treatment in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.
The phase III prospective, randomised open-label study involved 380 patients with stable CF aged ?6 years with chronic P aeruginosa lung infection. Patients were randomised to Colobreathe dry powder for inhalation (CDPI, one capsule containing colistimethate sodium 1 662 500 IU, twice daily, n=187)...
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Horizon scanning: US FDA approves regorafenib for advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors
Source: US FDA
Area: News
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved regorafenib (Stivarga) for the treatment of patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) that cannot be surgically removed and no longer respond to other FDA-approved treatments for this disease - imatinib and sunitinib.
The approval is based on the results of the GRID trial, previously reported on the NeLM in November 2012 - please see link below details. (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
RCT: Melatonin does not improve appetite or other symptoms in patients with advanced cancer and cachexia
Source: JCO
Area: News
The Journal of Clinical Oncology has featured a study evaluating the safety and efficacy of melatonin for appetite improvement in patients with cancer cachexia.
The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 28-day trial involved patients with advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancer (GI) cancer, with appetite scores ? 4 on a 0 to 10 scale (10 = worst appetite), and a history of weight loss ? 5%. Assessments included weight, symptoms by the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, and quality of life by the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) questionnaire.
...
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
USPSTF recommends against calcium and vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of fractures in community-dwelling adults
Source: JAMA
Area: News
JAMA Internal Medicine has published the new US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation statement on vitamin D and calcium supplementation to prevent fractures in adults.
The statement is based on 2 systematic evidence reviews and a meta-analysis on vitamin D supplementation with or without calcium to assess the effects of supplementation on bone health outcomes in community-dwelling adults, the association of vitamin D and calcium levels with bone health outcomes, and the adverse effects of supplementation.
The USPTF has made the following recommendations which...
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Sitagliptin and exenatide associated with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis
Source: JAMA Internal Medicine
Area: News
According to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with the glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1-based therapies sitagliptin and exenatide was associated with increased odds of hospitalisation for acute pancreatitis.
A large administrative database in the United States was used to collect data for the population-based case-control study - adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus aged 18 to 64 years were identified and 1269 hospitalised cases with acute pancreatitis using a validated algorithm and 1269 control subjects matche...
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Current use of oral glucocorticoids associated with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis
Source: JAMA Internal Medicine
Area: News
According to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, current oral glucocorticoid use is associated with an increased risk of acute pancreatitis.
Researchers conducted a nationwide population-based case-control study to investigate the potential association between oral glucocorticoid use and acute pancreatitis. Data from a Swedish registry were evaluated, where a total of 6161 cases with a first episode of acute pancreatitis and 61,637 controls were identified for the final analysis. Cases were all patients diagnosed as having a first episode of acute pancreatitis ...
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Department of Health publishes changes to the Controlled Drugs regulations
Source: Department of Health (DH)
Area: News
The Department of Health has announced that "The Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2013" (SI (2013/373) have been laid in Parliament today and will come into force from 1st April 2013.
In support of the changes made to the Controlled Drugs Regulations, the Department of Health has also published additional supporting information "The Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulation 2013 - Information about the Regulations".
Additionally, following the Department of Health's Controlled Drugs Consultation, which ...
Source: NeLM - News - February 26, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
