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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has asked the pharmacies and wholesalers to stop supplying and quarantine all remaining stock of Dr Reddy's Laboratories (UK)'s Lacidipine 4 mg Film-Coated tablets. The company has recalled two batches of Lacidipine 4 mg Film-Coated tablets as a precautionary measure due to the presence of an unknown solvent-like odour. MHRA said: "The tablets are normally odourless. However, in the affected batches, a solvent-like odour is present when the individual blisters are opened. Additionally, some patient complaints have noted that the tablets have an unusual taste. The investigation to determine the root cause and to identify and quantify the odour is ongoing. "The issue is confined to batches B2202043 and B2202044 only. Other batches of Lacidipine 4 mg Film-Coated tablets marketed by Dr Reddy's Laboratories (UK) are not affected."

Three batches of Mexiletine hydrochloride 50mg, 100mg and 200 mg hard capsules manufactured by Clinigen Healthcare has been recalled. Pharmacists are urged to quarantine the said batches and return it to the supplier by or before 12 August. Clinigen Healthcare Ltd has initiated a recall of three batches of Mexiletine hydrochloride hard capsules due to a potential risk of under dose or overdose, which could have consequences for the safety of patients. The manufacturer has confirmed that no alternative batches of Mexiletine hydrochloride 50mg, 100mg or 200mg hard capsules will be available until later in the year, therefore the recall of these batches from patients should only be considered where patients have access to appropriate alternative products. See below for more information on resupplying patients with alternative products. "Patients should be advised not to stop any treatments without consulting their relevant healthcare professional. The risks of suddenly stopping medication for ventricular arrhythmias is higher than the potential risk presented by too much or too little of the active ingredient in the capsule."

The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has initiated a recall of three batches of Quantum Pharmaceutical's Diltiazem HCl 2% Cream, which is an unlicensed medicine. MHRA issued a precautionary recall of the cream due to a change in the product's appearance that affected its thickness. Pharmacists are instructed to halt supply, quarantine remaining stock, and contact Quantum Pharmaceutical to return affected batches M1402497, M1402574, and M1402680. Patients using this product may encounter application issues with the cream due to its consistency. However, MHRA said that this has not impacted the product's effectiveness or posed any risk to patient safety. The MHRA also reported that medac GmbH (t/a medac Pharma LLP) is conducting a recall of two batches of Sodiofolin 50 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion (400mg/8ml vial) with batch numbers G220393B and G220393C. This class 2 medicines recall is a result of particles detected during long-term stability tests.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised healthcare professionals to stop supplying a specific batch of Paroxetine 40mg Film Coated Tablets immediately. Crescent Pharma Limited is recalling a specific batch of Paroxetine 40mg Film Coated Tablets as a precautionary measure due to out of specification results for dissolution during routine stability testing. "Quarantine all remaining stock of the said batch and return it to your supplier, using your supplier's approved process," said MHRA. The agency alerted the patients that this is a precautionary Pharmacy and Wholesaler level recall, therefore no further action is required by patients.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recalled Labetalol 200mg tablets (Tillomed Laboratories Ltd) directed to pharmacies and wholesalers. Manufacturer, Tillomed Laboratories is recalling one batch of Labetalol 200mg tablets due to an error on the foil blister packaging. The incorrect aluminium foil blister packaging states Labetalol 100mg tablets, however it should be labelled as Labetalol 200mg Tablets. This error has occurred at the primary packing operation. Tillomed Laboratories Limited has confirmed the actual tablet contained in the blister is Labetalol 200mg Tablets, which is the strength stated on the outer carton. This error is limited to the packaging of the batch with 100mg aluminium foil blister and does not impact the lot (batch) number or expiry as printed on the outer carton and aluminium foil blister. Healthcare professionals has been advised to stop supplying the batches immediately. Quarantine all remaining stock and return it to supplier using supplier's approved process.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a class 3 medicines recall for Sildenafil 100mg Film-coated Tablets (Strandhaven Limited T/A Somex Pharma). Manufacturer of drug, Strandhaven Limited T/A Somex Pharma has informed the MHRA that the pack size on some cartons of the batch state 8 tablets instead of 4 tablets. This is an error due to cartons being mixed at the printers. All cartons with batch number ET22028 contain one blister strip of 4 tablets regardless of whether it states 8 tablets or 4 tablets on the pack. Only the batch number ET22028 is affected. Due to the low number of complaints received, only the packs labelled as containing 8 tablets are being recalled at this time. The batch is comprised of 60340 packs, to date 195 packs have been found to be mislabelled.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a class 2 medicines recall for Sabril 500 mg film-coated tablets & Sabril 500 mg granules for oral solution. Sanofi UK has recalled the batches of Sabril tablets and Sabril granules as a precautionary measure due to the detection of traces of tiapride in the batches of the source material of the manufacturer for vigabatrin. Sabril (vigabatrin) is indicated for adjunctive treatment of focal seizures with or without secondary generalisation not satisfactorily controlled with other antiepileptics (under expert supervision) and monotherapy in the treatment of infantile spasms (West's syndrome). All patients are advised not to discontinue Sabril tablets or Sabril granules without consulting with their prescriber. The risks of suddenly stopping medication for seizures/epilepsy is higher than the potential risk presented by the presence of tiapride. Sanofi UK have confirmed to DHSC that no other batches are impacted, and other stock remains available.

Pharmacists can dispense Paracetamol 120mg suppositories in accordance with the prescription, as the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed that sufficient stocks are available to meet normal demand. This means the Serious Shortage Protocol - SSP033 - for Paracetamol 120mg suppositories has now expired since 26 August 2022. Top tips for SSP claims NHSBSA advise that contractors must follow the specific endorsement guidance issued with each SSP and endorsements should be clear and unambiguous - NHSBSA processing staff must be able to determine what has been supplied. NHSBSA have published information on common SSP endorsing errors they see when processing claims. Any paper prescriptions with SSP claims need to be placed in the red separator provided by the NHSBSA. Although an SSP cannot be used outside its period of validity, claims can be submitted up to three calendar months after expiry or withdrawal of the SSP to help manage any owings for other items issued on the same prescription form. For example, for SSP033 Paracetamol 120mg suppositories, which expires at 23.59pm on Friday 26 August 2022, the NHSBSA would continue to look for the "SSP" endorsement on prescriptions for Paracetamol 120mg suppositories that are submitted with the August batch (submitted by 5 September), September batch (submitted by 5 October) and October batch (submitted by 5 November).

AstraZeneca UK has revised the expiry dates for certain batches of Fluenz Tetra nasal spray vaccines as a precautionary measure, after finding that their potency (strength) dropped faster than predicted once thawed, during routine testing. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been informed by the manufacturer that the printed expiry date for a limited number of batches is "incorrect." However, the MHRA has assured patients that the affected batches are safe to use and fully effective within the amended expiry date. If the vaccine is administered after the amended expiry date, it may be less effective in protecting against flu, it said. The UK regulatory authority also reiterated that it "keeps the safety of medicines, including vaccines, under review, and acts where necessary to protect patients and the public."

2008 Batch out going Convocation held at Guntur Medical College (GMC) on 26th March 2014 where Dr AGK Gokhale was invited by GMC as Chief Guest of the function.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a company-led drug recall for Sodium Chloride Eye Drops 5% 1x10ml (unlicensed medicine) Stockport Pharmaceuticals. Stockport Pharmaceuticals said that the above batch of Sodium Chloride Eye Drops 5% w/v as the sterile eye droppers supplied with the medicinal product have expired (Jan 2022). The authority said, "This recall is being issued as a company-led medicines recall, as this product is only supplied to a small number of customers, and the manufacturer has full traceability of the product's distribution." "Remaining stock of the above batch should be quarantined and returned to Stockport Pharmaceuticals directly."

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued a class 2 medicines recall notice for Olopatadine USV 1mg/ml eye drops. Specific batches of this product are being recalled by USV UK Limited as a precautionary measure due to the identification of out of specification results for impurities during routine stability testing. USV UK Limited are recalling the affected batches as a precautionary measure due to out of specification results for impurities during routine stability testing.

PCCA Limited has issued a recall for its Ketamine 50mg/5ml and 100mg/5ml oral solutions after a small number of bottles have been observed to contain crystalline material. The company said it is recalling impacted batches from patients, pharmacies and hospitals as a precautionary measure. "This recall is being issued as a company-led medicines recall, as this product is only supplied to a small number of customers and the company has traceability of the onward distribution by their customers to patients directly," the MHRA said in an alert. Check the website.

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on Thursday regarding falsified semaglutide medications used for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity in select countries. This WHO Medical Product Alert addresses three falsified batches of the specific brand Ozempic that were detected in Brazil (October 2023), the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (October 2023), and the United States (December 2023). These falsified semaglutide products were distributed through the regulated supply chain. Novo Nordisk, the genuine manufacturer of Ozempic, confirmed that the three products mentioned in the alert are falsified and were not produced by the company. Healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities and the public are advised to remain vigilant regarding these falsified batches of medicines. Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, urged stakeholders to stop any usage of suspicious medicines and report them to relevant authorities.

Kent Pharma UK has announced a precautionary recall of multiple batches of Itraconazole 10mg/ml oral solution following the identification of out-of-specification appearance in the solution, particularly the presence of suspended particles or clusters of crystals. Itraconazole is an antifungal medication prescribed for treating fungal or yeast infections in different parts of the body. Its oral solution form is specifically intended for treating oropharyngeal or esophageal candidiasis, commonly known as thrush or oral thrush. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised the recall following initial investigations, which indicated a solubilisation issue of the active ingredient, itraconazole. This problem may result in some doses containing lower amounts of the active ingredient. The root cause of the issue is currently under investigation. However, due to the potential for underdosage, the affected batches are being recalled as a precautionary measure.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised healthcare professionals to ensure appropriate patient counselling takes place and patients are aware of the missing information on the patient information leaflet (PIL) of Decongestant Tablets and Decongestant with Pain Relief Tablets. The advise came after Boots has identified an error with the printed PIL provided with batches of the tablets. Check the website for more information.

Community Pharmacy England has published new guidance to help members to complete the 2022/23 Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPTK). The Toolkit is used to make a pharmacy's information governance (IG) declaration and the deadline is Friday (30 June). Community Pharmacy England collaborated with the NHS DSPTK team to keep the workload associated with Toolkit completion manageable whilst maintaining the appropriate data security protections. Key differences in this year's Toolkit include- improvements to the Toolkit's layout; improvements to the question wording and pharmacy-specific tips; and the Toolkit displays the answers submitted by the pharmacy in the previous submission for various questions, allowing pharmacy owners to simply confirm that the information remains accurate and adjust this if necessary. The NHS Parent Organisation Code (POC) headquarters (HQ) batch submission feature also continues to enable to allow pharmacy owners (that own three or more pharmacies) to complete a single submission for all their premises.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has cautioned people to stop using certain eye gels, highlighting a potential risk of microbial contamination that can cause an infection. As a precaution, the agency on Friday announced recall of specific batches of carbomer-containing lubricating eye gels branded Aacarb, Aacomer and Puroptics, which are generally used to relieve the symptoms of dry eye. Burkholderia cenocepacia is suspected to have caused the microbial contamination, and the issue was raised after an ongoing investigation conducted by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) identified a small number of cases of infection. Investigations are on to determine if there is a link between these products and the infections which have been identified. Meanwhile, retailers have been told to withdraw the affected products, and users are asked to return their product to the place of purchase immediately.

The Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on Thursday issued a class 4 medicines defect information notice for Cozaar 100mg film-coated tablets due to an error in the Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) reported by the company. Cozaar is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) as well as to slow the progression of kidney disease in people who have type 2 diabetes mellitus. Quadrant Pharmaceuticals Ltd has informed the UK regulatory authority that the PILs that have been packed in certain batches of the products do not have the most up to date safety information. 'Grapefruit juice should be avoided while taking Cozaar'- This information is missing in Section 2 'What you need to know before you take Cozaar', sub section 'Cozaar with food and drink', the company clarified.

In the pharmaceutical industry, maintaining strict hygiene standards is paramount to ensure the safety and efficacy of products. One of the critical components in achieving this goal is the utilization of sanitary clamps. These clamps play a vital role in securing various connections within pharmaceutical equipment, preventing contamination, and upholding sterile conditions. In this article, we delve into the reasons why sanitary clamps are indispensable for maintaining hygiene in pharmaceutical settings. Contamination Prevention Sanitary clamps serve as a crucial barrier against contamination in pharmaceutical environments. With stringent regulations governing pharmaceutical manufacturing, any compromise in hygiene can result in significant consequences, including product recalls and compromised patient safety. Sanitary clamps are designed to create secure and airtight connections between pipes, hoses, and other components, effectively sealing off potential entry points for contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, and particulate matter. By minimizing the risk of contamination, these clamps help pharmaceutical companies uphold the integrity of their products and adhere to regulatory standards. Moreover, the design of sanitary clamps ensures ease of cleaning and sterilization, further reducing the risk of cross-contamination between batches. Unlike traditional fastening methods that may harbor bacteria or residue, sanitary clamps feature smooth surfaces and minimal crevices, making them easier to sanitize. This not only enhances hygiene but also promotes efficiency in the cleaning process, allowing pharmaceutical manufacturers to maintain high levels of cleanliness without compromising production timelines. Overall, by preventing contamination and facilitating thorough cleaning, sanitary clamps play a crucial role in safeguarding the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products.