Greater Glasgow and Clyde Medicines

This post summarises the latest NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde decisions relating to new medicines assessed by SMC and considered by the Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee (ADTC) and uses a nationally developed format specifically aimed for patients and the public.

For full details of the medicines included in this post that are available for use, including any restrictions on prescribing, please see the relevant entry in the GGC Formulary

Oral clindamycin has high bioavailability and can be given 8 hourly to improve compliance.

GGC guidance on the Treatment of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Adults is available here. 

Key Medicine Shortages for July 2021

MHRA Drug Safety Update for July 2021

Prescribing teams in NHSGGC have been reviewing patients prescribed gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin) over the past year with an aim of reducing prescribing where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

The SMC concluded that there are only limited comparative data available for lidocaine plasters, the comparative clinical effectiveness remains unclear.

Prescribing of strong opioids (morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, tapentadol, and hydromorphone) across Scotland and within NHSGGC has reduced over the last few years following the publication of "Quality Prescribing for Chronic Pain- A guide for improvement" (Scottish Government and NHS Scotland, January 2018). 

The NHSGGC Adult Formulary has been updated to reflect that Accrete D3 is the preferred brand of calcium/vitamin D across acute and primary care.