News > Medicines information
Research: Improving use of polypharmacy for older people
17 May 2012, 18:23
News > Medicines information
Taking medicines for chronic illnesses both to treat symptoms and to prevent diseases gettingworse is common in older people. However, taking too many medicines can cause harm. This Cochrane review examines studies in which healthcare professionals have taken action to make sure that older people are receiving the most effective and safe medication for their illness. The review provides limited evidence that interventions, such as pharmaceutical care, may be successful in ensuring that older people are receiving the right medicines and reducing medication-related problems in this group, but it is not clear if this always results in clinical improvements.
New medicines for serious conditions: do the risks outweigh the benefits?
04 May 2012, 09:08
News > Medicines information
No medicine is 100 percent safe and regulators need to decide whether the advantages of taking the medicine outweigh the risks, and ask if the side effects are acceptable. Where the condition is serious and/or rare, these decisions can be even harder. A citizens' jury met last year to discuss these questions and to deliberate between making a case for change and defending the status quo. The 12 jurors were either patients with serious and/or rare conditions, or family members of someone with a serious and/or rare condition. After five days of debate the jury reached its verdict and voted for the case for change, and proposed four recommendations including that patients should be better supported to make their own decisions.
Research: Using electronic reminders to improve adherence to chronic medication
04 May 2012, 08:59
News > Medicines information
Many patients experience difficulties in adhering to long-term treatment. Although patients' reasons for not being adherent are diverse, one of the most commonly reported barriers is forgetfulness. Reminding patients to take their medication may provide a solution. The objective of this review was to examine the effectiveness of interventions using electronic reminders in improving patients' adherence to chronic medication. A comprehensive literature search found thirteen studies, which showed improved adherence in all but one study using SMS reminders, four studies using electronic reminder devices and one pager intervention.
MHRA asking for views on regulations as part of the Red Tape Challenge
16 March 2012, 10:33
News > Medicines information
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is asking for views on the regulations that govern its work. For the next five weeks, through the Cabinet Office Red Tape Challenge website, the MHRA is inviting the public and businesses to suggest which existing regulations should be kept and which should be simplified or scrapped altogether. While the consultation is aimed at those that the regulations directly apply to, everybody can join the debate and send their comments through the Red Tape Challenge website.
Mobile phone text messaging to help patients with HIV infection take their antiretroviral medications every day
15 March 2012, 17:21
News > Medicines information
More than 34 million people are presently living with HIV infection. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can help these people to live longer, healthier lives, but because of side-effects, adherence (taking these medications every day) can be difficult. Mobile phone text-messaging has the potential to help promote adherence in these patients. This Cochrane review showed that weekly mobile phone text messages to patients on ART can help them to take their medication every day. It can also help to reduce the amount of HIV in their bloodstream.
Research: Identifying the barriers and facilitators to written medicine information provision and use
09 March 2012, 12:49
News > Medicines information
This study aimed to explore peoples' needs and expectations of written medicines information (WMI), and to determine the barriers and facilitators experienced or perceived in the context of WMI provision and use. The findings suggest less than half had previously received WMI, with many unaware of its availability. Many, but not all, wanted WMI to supplement the spoken information they received but not to replace it, and it was predominantly used to facilitate informed choice, ascertain medicine suitability and review instructions. The current leaflets were considered technical and long, and a summary leaflet in addition to comprehensive information was favoured. Accurate side-effect information was the most important element that participants desired. The most common barriers to effective WMI use were time constraints and patient confidence.
Research: Direct to consumer Internet advertising of statins offer poor safety and side-effects information
10 February 2012, 10:33
News > Medicines information
Tighter controls are needed over the online advertising of prescription drugs, researchers have concluded, after finding poor safety and side effects information on a number of websites selling statins to the public. Researcher evaluated a sample of Internet sites advertising statins for sale to the general public and found that the quality of information and information of the safe use of medicines was generally poor. More than 90% of sites didn't list contraindications and most websites presented a chaotic and incomplete list of known side effects. Another important safety issue came to light during the study with the discovery that eight of the websites offered free prescription only medicines for erectile dysfunction with every statin purchase.
New smart pills that monitor when drugs are taken and how much
19 January 2012
News > Medicines information
Smart pills containing a microchip that can monitor a patient's medication and condition will be sold in Lloyds pharmacies later this year. The pill helps monitor when patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart conditions have taken their medications, and also provides a range of other information on the patient. This allows the patient, carer or family member to follow progress and collaborate on maintaining the patient's health and enable them to remain independent in their own homes.
National Prescribing Service in Australia produces guidance on informing patients about generic medicines
02 December 2011
News > Medicines information
The National Prescribing Service in Australia has produced information for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals on how to inform and support patients switching to generic medicines. Many health professionals are concerned that switching between brands may confuse some patients, particularly if done repeatedly. This information highlights ways to minimise confusion and addresses common misconceptions about the safety and effectiveness of generic medicines.
Changes to the ABPI Code of Practice
24 November 2011
News > Medicines information
The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority is responsible for administering the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry. They are running a meeting for patient organisations on 12 December 2011 about changes to the requirements of the code.
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