NEWS
Diclofenac withdrawal ‘blow’ to pharmacy Disappointment has been voiced at
the withdrawal of oral diclofenac preparations from over the counter sale.
Diclofenac tablets, used to treat pain and inflammation, are no longer available to purchase from community pharmacies without a prescription due to the small risk of heart problems, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has an- nounced. Topical products such as gels will remain available for purchase from pharmacies.
Dr Sarah Branch, MHRA Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines Deputy Director said, “Diclofenac is associated with a small but increased risk of serious cardiac side effects in some patients, particularly if used at high doses and for long-term treat- ment. Because of this the Commis- sion on Human Medicines (CHM) has advised that patients need to have a medical review before taking oral diclofenac to make sure it is suitable for them.
“If patients have recently bought diclofenac tablets from their pharmacy and continue to need pain relief they should talk to their pharmacist about suitable alternative treatments. However there is no problem if they wish to stop taking diclofenac in the meantime.”
However, Mimi Lau, Numark’s Director of Pharmacy Services, says the news is a ‘blow’ for pharmacy.
“The decision to reclassify diclofenac is due to concerns over its cardiac safety, but this move is perhaps a step too far,” she said.
“The consultation suggested an option to keep it as a P medicine but with stricter protocols. Surely this would have been the better solution that would have struck the right bal- ance between giving and restricting
NEWS IN BRIEF HUMOUR AND
CAMARADERIE NEEDED FOR MEN’S HEALTH
Pharmacists are being advised that humour and camaraderie may be key in helping men lose weight and take better care of their health.
A new guide launched by the Men’s Health Forum charity – based on research carried out by the Universities of Aberdeen, Stirling and Bournemouth – is the first to show how to adapt and run weight-loss programmes that are tailored specifically for men.
A shocking 67% of men are overweight or obese which is significantly more than women at 58%, yet men are much less likely to join weight-loss programmes.
The evidence-based guide, ‘How to make weight-loss services work for men’, is aimed at local authorities, commissioners and weight management providers who are trying to attract men to weight-loss programmes.
It follows important new research, led by the University of Aberdeen with the University of Stirling and Bournemouth University, looking into male attitudes and behaviour in relation to health.
It showed that the majority of weight management programmes are regarded by men as ‘feminised spaces’ and they often feel uncomfortable joining.
patient access? Concerns over patient safety are paramount but diclofenac is an effective product and part of the pharmacist’s armamentarium for treat- ing certain types of pain.”
Ms Lau drew similar parallels with pseudoephedrine, where there were concerns over pseudoephedrine but it remained as a P medicine with tighter controls over its sale.
“Pharmacy has wholeheartedly sup- ported the new measures to maximise patient safety and minimise harm, demonstrating that we can effect change where necessary. This ap- proach should have been adopted for diclofenac,” she said.
“On top of this, as this was a class 2 recall, pharmacists were expected to quarantine their stocks overnight with no details of how they would return the stock and be reimbursed for it.”
In August 2013 the MHRA consulted on the continued availability of oral diclofenac as a pharmacy medicine in the UK following a European review that found there was a small but significant increased risk of cardio- vascular side effects associated with diclofenac. The product information for diclofenac was updated to reflect this new information.
In addition, being ‘big’ may be regarded as a good thing by some men as socio-cultural influences can encourage a larger more masculine body.
Professor Alison Avenell who led the research at the University of Aberdeen said, “More men than women are overweight or obese in the UK, but men are less likely to see their weight as a problem and engage with weight-loss services, even though obesity increases the risk of many serious illnesses such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis.
“This could be because dieting and weight-loss programmes are perceived as being feminine activities. Our research has led to important guidance for services to help obese men lose weight.”
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