Archives : 2017

The Prescrire Drug Packaging Awards for 2018: no winners and a lot of losers

Palmarès du conditionnement de Prescrire

The independent French medical journal Prescrire held its annual awards ceremony in Paris on 31 January. There were no Packaging Awards this year, whereas 25 "Yellow Cards" or "Red Cards" were handed out for substandard or dangerous packaging.

1 February 2017

Making rational choices about drug treatment while breast-feeding

FEATURED REVIEW What are the principles for choosing whether and how to treat a nursing woman, without denying her access to useful drugs or harming her breastfed child?
Full review (5 pages) available for download by subscribers.

1 December 2017

In the December issue of Prescrire International: valproic acid and pregnancy

FREE DOWNLOAD A recently released study estimates that several thousand children in France who were exposed in utero to valproic acid or one of its derivatives between 1967 and 2016 were affected by at least one major congenital malformation.

Full text available for free download.

1 December 2017

Moderate nociceptive pain in adults: first-choice drugs

In patients with moderate nociceptive pain, the first-choice analgesic is paracetamol or, if unsuitable, a NSAID (ibuprofen or naproxen), or else morphine at the lowest effective dose, if necessary.

1 December 2017

Induction of labour: information and consent still inadequate

In France, a survey revealed that women are given insufficient information prior to induction of labour, and their consent is often not sought.

1 December 2017

Medical abortion in the community setting. The procedures and legal restrictions should be clearly explained to women

FEATURED REVIEW Medical abortion is based on sequential administration of two oral drugs. How effective is medical abortion and what are its adverse effects? How is it undertaken in the community setting in France? We reviewed the available evidence using the standard Prescrire methodology.
Full review (5 pages) available for download by subscribers.

1 November 2017

In the November issue of Prescrire International: immunoallergic reactions with nifuroxazide; adverse effects of levothyroxine

FREE DOWNLOAD This month's sample page from the Adverse Effects section demonstrates the wide range of information available every month in Prescrire International.

Full text available for free download.

1 November 2017

Type 2 diabetes: intensive therapy can be harmful

It has been established that in patients with type 2 diabetes, intensive hypoglycaemic therapy targeting an HbA1c around 6% leads to excess cardiovascular mortality. It is best to aim for a reasonable target, around 7%.

1 November 2017

The sugar lobby's crusade against dental health measures

Lobbying by the sugar industry has undermined the battle against dental caries.

1 November 2017

Prescrire's Solidarity Support Programme: facilitating access to quality, independent information

ABOUT PRESCRIRE Prescrire's Solidarity Support Programme helps healthcare professionals and those training to become healthcare professionals to obtain quality, independent information.

1 November 2017

The 2017 "Prescrire Prize" is awarded in Paris to
4 noteworthy books about health and healthcare

The recipients of the 2017 "Prescrire Prize" book awards were announced on 5 October 2017. The prize is awarded to works of particular interest to the general public and/or healthcare professionals.

05 October 2017

• Private patents and public health. Changing intellectual property rules for access to medicines
This book is a recipient of the 2017 Prescrire Prize

05 October 2017

Naloxegol (Moventig°) and opioid-induced constipation. Its abdominal adverse effects are probably as troublesome as constipation

FEATURED REVIEW Naloxegol tablets have been authorised in the European Union for adults with troublesome opioid-induced constipation despite laxative therapy. Does naloxegol relieve discomfort in these patients? What are its adverse effects? Does naloxegol reduce the analgesic effect of opioid therapy?
Free summary available here: full review (3 pages) available for download by subscribers.

1 October 2017

In the October issue of Prescrire International - Metformin in patients with moderate renal impairment: reduce the dose

FREE DOWNLOAD This month's sample page is taken from the Adverse Effects section. Metformin is the first-choice oral glucose-lowering drug in type 2 diabetes, but it can provoke lactic acidosis, a rare but sometimes fatal adverse effect. What does this mean for patients with moderate renal impairment?
Full text available for free download.

1 October 2017

Conflicts of interest in the health sector: hospitals can and must act

It is time for hospitals as well as universities to act to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure the independence necessary for the best care.

1 October 2017

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): avoid guanfacine

In children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), guanfacine has no proven efficacy in improving family and social relationships. On the other hand, it has frequent, sometimes severe, adverse effects. In practice, it is best to avoid guanfacine.

1 October 2017

Lévothyrox° (levothyroxine): a change in formulation results in thousands of reports of adverse effects

In France, the lactose in Lévothyrox° (levothyroxine) tablets was replaced by mannitol and citric acid was added as a preservative. According to France's national medicines agency (ANSM), two pharmacokinetics studies demonstrated that the old and the new tablets were bioequivalent. A pharmacovigilance investigation is underway to look into thousands of reports from patients signalling various disorders following the change in formulation. On 15 September 2017, the Agency made various documents available online.

18 September 2017

Statins in secondary cardiovascular prevention

FEATURED REVIEW What is the evidence for the efficacy of statins in secondary cardiovascular prevention? In which situations are they effective? What are their harms? To answer these questions, we reviewed the available evidence using the standard Prescrire methodology.
Free abstract available here; full review (8 pages) available for download by subscribers.

1 September 2017

In the September issue of Prescrire International. Levonorgestrel for emergency contraception: after an enzyme inducer, double the dose

FREE DOWNLOAD This month's free sample from the New Products section explores important information to take into account when levonorgestrel is used for emergency contraception.

Full text available for free download.

1 September 2017

Vaccination-related errors: analysing errors in order to prevent them

Vaccination errors can have severe consequences, depending on the patient, the vaccine and the type of error. Analysis of the circumstances surrounding such errors is a first step towards preventing them.

1 September 2017

French drug agency's recommendations on dosing devices: a step forward

In 2016, the French drug regulatory agency (ANSM) published recommendations for companies regarding dosing devices. These recommendations are welcome, and should be extended.

1 September 2017

Healthcare for migrants: rejecting the unacceptable

The 2016 "Prescrire Prize" book awards featured a discussion-debate on the theme: "Healthcare for vulnerable migrants. Taking action to ensure access to high-quality care for everyone". The following excerpts are from the presentation by Arnaud Veïsse, the director of Comede, the French Committee for the Health of Exiles.

1 September 2017

Learn more about Prescrire International, an independent, monthly journal written by and for healthcare professionals

ABOUT PRESCRIRE Prescrire International is a monthly journal of selected texts translated from the French journal Prescrire. The editors have put together a free special edition to provide you with a sample of the type of articles you will find in every issue.

1 September 2017

Overmedication of society: a concern for all

The independent medical journal Prescrire has published a special section in the August issue of its French edition, examining the role that medicines play in society, in healthcare, and in our lives.

1 August 2017

Medicines and culture

A special section in the August issue of the independent French medical journal Prescrire looks at the role medicines play in the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals, and the need to take the symbolic value of medicines into account, as a means to build trust.

1 August 2017

"Top Texts of 2017", new from the Editors of Prescrire International

NEW: FREE SPECIAL EDITION Check out this brand new sampling of texts selected by our Editors to introduce you to Prescrire International, a wholly independent monthly journal, written by and for healthcare professionals

1 August 2017

Equine oestrogens + bazedoxifene (Duavive°) and menopause. Inadequately evaluated harms

FEATURED REVIEW A new product combining equine oestrogens and bazedoxifene (Duavive°, Pfizer) has been authorised in the European Union for menopausal disorders in non-hysterectomised postmenopausal women. Past experience suggests that this new combination should be considered with caution, and avoided until these foreseeable adverse effects have been properly evaluated.
Full review (2 pages) available for download by subscribers.

1 July 2017

In the July issue of Prescrire International: The adverse effects of the cytotoxic temsirolimus and the opioid pholcodine

FREE DOWNLOAD In the Adverse Effects section of this issue, the cardiac risks of the cytotoxic immunosuppressant temsirolimus, used in metastatic renal cell carcinoma and mantle cell lymphoma, and the harms caused by the opioid pholcodine, still present in many cough suppressants.

Full text available for free download.

1 July 2017

Pertuzumab: of variable benefit depending on the type of breast cancer

In some patients with metastatic breast cancer, pertuzumab in combination with trastuzumab + docetaxel is proven to extend life, but at the cost of increased cardiac adverse effects. There is no evidence that this drug is beneficial as a neoadjuvant treatment when the breast cancer has not metastasised.

1 July 2017

Pregnancy and Graves' disease: opt for treatments posing the lowest maternal and fetal risks

Treatment of pregnant women with Graves' disease (hyperthyroidism) is problematic since all drug therapies carry significant risks. Some synthetic antithyroid drugs are the treatment of choice.

1 July 2017

Spotlight: Archives

Spotlight

2017

The Prescrire Drug Packaging Awards for 2018: no winners and a lot of losers

Making rational choices about drug treatment while breast-feeding

In the December issue of Prescrire International: valproic acid and pregnancy

Moderate nociceptive pain in adults: first-choice drugs

Induction of labour: information and consent still inadequate

Medical abortion in the community setting. The procedures and legal restrictions should be clearly explained to women

In the November issue of Prescrire International: immunoallergic reactions with nifuroxazide; adverse effects of levothyroxine

Type 2 diabetes: intensive therapy can be harmful

The sugar lobby's crusade against dental health measures

Prescrire's Solidarity Support Programme: facilitating access to quality, independent information

The 2017 "Prescrire Prize" is awarded in Paris to
4 noteworthy books about health and healthcare

• Private patents and public health. Changing intellectual property rules for access to medicines
This book is a recipient of the 2017 Prescrire Prize

Naloxegol (Moventig°) and opioid-induced constipation. Its abdominal adverse effects are probably as troublesome as constipation

In the October issue of Prescrire International - Metformin in patients with moderate renal impairment: reduce the dose

Conflicts of interest in the health sector: hospitals can and must act

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): avoid guanfacine

Lévothyrox° (levothyroxine): a change in formulation results in thousands of reports of adverse effects

Statins in secondary cardiovascular prevention

In the September issue of Prescrire International. Levonorgestrel for emergency contraception: after an enzyme inducer, double the dose

Vaccination-related errors: analysing errors in order to prevent them

French drug agency's recommendations on dosing devices: a step forward

Healthcare for migrants: rejecting the unacceptable

Learn more about Prescrire International, an independent, monthly journal written by and for healthcare professionals

Overmedication of society: a concern for all

Medicines and culture

"Top Texts of 2017", new from the Editors of Prescrire International

Equine oestrogens + bazedoxifene (Duavive°) and menopause. Inadequately evaluated harms

In the July issue of Prescrire International: The adverse effects of the cytotoxic temsirolimus and the opioid pholcodine

Pertuzumab: of variable benefit depending on the type of breast cancer

Pregnancy and Graves' disease: opt for treatments posing the lowest maternal and fetal risks