Group items tagged

The Medicine and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recalled all pholcodine-containing medicines from the UK pharmacy due to concerns of its potential to cause a severe allergic reaction in some people having general anaesthesia for surgery. The decision was made following the conclusion of a review of post-marketing safety data by the MHRA. The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has considered the evidence of an increased risk of the very rare event of anaphylaxis when exposed to neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) and advised that pholcodine-containing medicines should be withdrawn. MHRA has advised pharmacists to consider recommending appropriate treatment alternatives for patients who present with a new dry cough or who are currently taking pholcodine. Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) President Professor Claire Anderson said: "If you are taking a cough medicine (including tablets and syrups), check the packaging, label or Patient Information Leaflet to see if pholcodine is a listed ingredient - if it is, and you have any questions, you can talk to your pharmacist who can suggest a different medicine suitable for you.