Tuesday 13 August 2013

Another month....another Monthly Script....!

Hello readers!

The August-13 open-access version of our Monthly Script Newsletter has just gone live. 

Included in this month's newsletter are updates from NICE, notably the new guidance on varicose veins (offer less invasive treatments before surgery) and new public health guidance on BMI measurements (extend the application of the lower BMI thresholds of 23 kg/m2 to indicate ‘increased risk’ and 27.5 kg/m2 to indicate ‘high risk’ of type 2 diabetes used in Asian populations also to black African and African-Caribbean populations). 

We were also interested to learn that the European Medical Agency (EMA) is now starting its review of zolpidem - the FDA recently mandated the lowering of recommended doses of zolpidem for some patients, in particular women, due to concerns over next-day effects. 

Some of you may recall the Dispatches Programme broadcast earlier this year on the safety of GLP-1 based therapies for diabetes.  The EMA has now completed its review of GLP-1 therapies, concluding that “presently available data do not confirm recent concerns over an increased risk of pancreatic adverse events with these medicines”. 

In  relation to prescribing data, this month we provide updated estimates of the additional (and substantial!) costs to our subscriber CCGs following divestment of Epanutin, and, prompted by the Advertising Standards Authority recent censure of the Society of Homeopaths, we report on comparative spend of homoeopathy products (interesting variation seen locally).

Hope you find the newsletter of interest!




Wednesday 7 August 2013

New Website Launched

Hi readers,

We are pleased to announce the launch of a brand new website for the Centre for Medicines Optimisation at Keele University.

The address for our new website address is: http://www.centreformedicinesoptimisation.co.uk/

The site offers improved functionality as it is now fully searchable, and includes our subscriber-only prescribing support materials, MTRAC verdicts, and open-access resources.

For our subscribers, the existing PCT-wide log-on details used on the previous site will not work on the new site and you will need to sign-up for a new individual account using your NHS e-mail address.  A simple form needs to be completed on the home page of the website in order to set up your account.  If you need to access the reports for more than one CCG, this can all be managed via your single account - just specify all the organisations you require access to when you sign-up.  Our old site will now no longer be updated but will be retained as a legacy site in the immediate future.  

You may also be interested in connecting with the Centre for Medicines Optimisation via social media and we have the following accounts:


Please do get in touch if you have any questions regarding either the new website or any of our reports.

Keele Medicines Optimisation Team