english.prescrire.org > Prescrire International > N°94 - April 2008

n°94

April 2008

Issue Contents
Editorial

Free  Hypocrisy

p.46
EU regulators put asthma patients at risk

Marketing Authorisations

Aliskiren (arterial hypertension) (new drug)

p.47-50
No evidence of clinical efficacy

Antihypertensive drugs and the renin-angiotensin axis

p.48

Carglumic acid (rare urea cycle disorder) (a second look)

p.50-51
Confirmed progress

0.4% glyceryl trinitrate ointment (chronic anal fissures) (new drug)

p.52-53
Not useful

Artemether + lumefantrine (uncomplicated malaria) (new drug)

p.54-56
An alternative to atovaquone + proguanil

Free  Budesonide + formoterol (asthma attacks) (new dose regimen)

p.57
A step backwards

7-valent pneumococcal vaccine (otitis) (new indication)

p.58
No tangible efficacy

INN common stems: -tocin

p.58

INN common stems: -kiren

p.58

Levetiracetam (tonic-clonic seizures) (new indication)

p.59
Another second-line option

Celecoxib (arthritis) (re-assessment)

p.59
Still around, unfortunately

Rotigotine (Parkinson's disease) (new drug)

p.60
A step backwards

Adverse Effects

Drug-induced interstitial pneumonia

p.61-63

Etonogestrel contraceptive implant: ulnar nerve damage

p.63

Rhabdomyolysis linked to Chinese red yeast rice

p.64

Misoprostol and pregnancy: risk of malformations

p.65-66

Telithromycin: visual disorders, myasthenia

p.66

Adverse drug effects: in children too

p.66

Mesotherapy: mycobacteriosis

p.67

Codeine: death of a breastfed newborn

p.67

Domperidone and sudden death

p.67

Etonogestrel implants: drug interactions and unintended pregnancies

p.67

Reviews

Osteodensitometry in healthy postmenopausal women

p.68-72
Useful for avoiding unnecessary treatment

Bone mineral density: statistical norm not applicable to all populations

p.70

Antenatal betamethasone: reassuring long-term data

p.73

Household spoons: do not use for drug administration

p.73

Outlook

Free  2007 Prescrire Awards

p.74-77

2007 New drug Awards

p.75

2007 Packaging Awards

p.76

2007 Information Awards

p.77

New medicines in 2007: regulatory agencies and policy makers leave public health in the hands of the pharmaceutical industry

p.78-82

Drug regulation in the EU: remain alert!

p.79

Drug packaging in 2007: some improvements, still many risks

p.82

Medication errors: Drug regulatory agencies maintain confusion between brand names

p.83-86

Prescrire's advice: brand names: reorient the EMEA draft guidelines towards patients’ interests

p.85

The INN system and... hemiplegia

p.86

Send the message loud and clear: Prescrire = no conflict of interest

p.88

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