It’s traditional that the December CPD module reviews some of the key changes in therapeutics and practice that took place during the previous year and summarises those medicines safety issues that have implications for pharmacy customers. Changes to clinical guidelines of relevance to pharmacy practice are also covered. Let’s start by looking at some of the new medicines that were launched during 2017.
Dozens of new products were added to the BNF this year. Those relevant to community pharmacy include:
Briviact (brivaracetam), indicated as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation in over-16s with epilepsy. Available in tablet, oral solution and infusion forms
Cilodex ear drops, containing dexamethasone and ciprofloxacin, for the management of acute otitis media in patients with grommets and acute otitis externa in both adults and children
Duavive modified-release tablets, containing conjugated oestrogens plus the selective oestrogen receptor modulator bazedoxifene, for the treatment of oestrogen deficiency symptoms in postmenopausal women with a uterus for whom treatment with progestin-containing therapy is not appropriate
Feraccru capsules for iron-deficiency anaemia in IBD
Fluomizin 10mg vaginal tablets, containing dequalinium chloride, for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis
Qtern tablets, a combination product containing saxagliptin and dapagliflozin, for type 2 diabetes
Ongentys capsules containing opicapone, an adjunctive therapy for end of dose motor fluctuations in Parkinson’s disease that cannot be stabilised on dopaminergic agents.
New medicines