Formulary Update (Febr 2015)
Additions to the GGC Adult Formulary
Greater Glasgow and Clyde Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee (ADTC) met on 16th February 2015 and added the following medicines/indications/ formulations to the GGC Formulary. Additions are to the Total Formulary unless specified otherwise. For brevity, some indications may be shortened. For the full detail of the indications and SMC restrictions (where applicable), see the relevant SMC advice.
Aztreonam nebuliser solution (Cayston®) as suppressive therapy of chronic pulmonary infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis aged six years and older is included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question. It is restricted to specialist initiation for use in patients when inhaled colistimethate sodium and inhaled tobramycin are not tolerated or not providing satisfactory therapeutic benefit (measured as 2% decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1]).
For relevant SMC advice click here
Bosutinib tablets (Bosulif®) is included in the GGC Adult Formulary pending protocol for the treatment of adult patients with chronic phase, accelerated phase, and blast phase Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia (Ph+ CML) previously treated with one or more tyrosine kinase inhibitor(s) and for whom imatinib, nilotinib and dasatinib are not considered appropriate treatment options. It is restricted to specialist use only in accordance with regional protocol.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Brimonidine topical gel (Mirvaso®) for the symptomatic treatment of facial erythema of rosacea in adult patients is included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question. It is restricted to use in patients with moderate to severe persistent facial erythema associated with rosacea. It should be noted that this only provides a symptomatic treatment for the erythema component and does not treat the rosacea directly.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Canagliflozin with metformin tablets (Vokanamet®) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults patients:
- not adequately controlled on their maximally tolerated doses of metformin alone
- not adequately controlled on maximally tolerated doses of metformin in combination with other glucose-lowering medicinal products, including insulin
- already being treated with the combination of canagliflozin and metformin as separate tablets
is included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question. It is restricted to initiation by clinicians experienced in the management of diabetes for use in type 2 diabetes in patients for whom a combination of canagliflozin and metformin is an appropriate choice of therapy and where they have demonstrated compliance issues with the separate constituents.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Cetuximab infusion (Erbitix®) for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing, RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer is included in the GGC Adult Formulary pending protocol for the indication in question. It is restricted to specialist use in accordance with regional protocol for use in combination with irinotecan or oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in patients who have not previously received chemotherapy for their metastatic disease (first-line treatment).
For relevant SMC advice click here
Follitropin alfa subcutaneous injection (Bemfola®) for the treatment of (see SMC advice for full details of indications)
- adult women for annovulation unresponsive to clomiphene
- stimulation of multi-follicular development for assisted reproduction
- with a luteinising hormone (LH) for the stimulation of follicular development in women with severe LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) deficiency.
- adult men for the stimulation of spermatogenesis
is included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question. It is restricted to specialist use only. The BNF recommends that it is good practice to prescribe biosimilar preparations by brand name.
For relevant SMC advice click here.
Olodaterol solution for inhalation (Striverdi®Respimat®) for the maintenance bronchodilator treatment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Omalizumab injection (Xolair®) as add-on therapy for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria in adult and adolescent (12 years and above) patients with inadequate response to H1 antihistamine treatment is included in the GGC Adult Formulary pending protocol for the indication in question. It is restricted to specialist use in accordance with local protocol in patients who have an inadequate response to combination therapy with H1 antihistamines, leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) and H2 antihistamines.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Paclitaxel albumin infusion (Abraxane®) in combination with gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is included in the GGC Adult Formulary pending protocol for the indication in question. It is restricted to specialist use in accordance with regional protocol.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Peginterferon-beta-1a injection (Plegridy®) for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis in adults is included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question. It is restricted to specialist use only.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Umeclidinium and vilanterol inhalation powder (Anoro®Ellipta) as a maintenance bronchodilator treatment to relieve symptoms in adult patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question.
For relevant SMC advice click here
New medicines, indications and formulations not included in the GGC Adult Formulary or GGC Paediatric Formulary
The following are not included in the GGC Adult Formulary following the latest ADTC meeting. Where the reason is other than not recommended advice from SMC it is noted. NB: these medicines may be included in the Formulary for other indications or for other formulations. Please refer to Formulary.
Abiraterone acetate tablets (Zytiga®) with prednisone or prednisolone for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer in adult men who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic after failure of androgen deprivation therapy in whom chemotherapy is not yet clinically indicated is not included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Bevacizumab infusion (Avastin®) in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, for the front-line treatment of advanced (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics [FIGO] stages III B, III C and IV) epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer is not included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Colestilan tablets and granules (BindRen®) for the treatment of hyperphosphataemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 receiving haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis is not included in the GGC Adult Formulary for the indication in question.
For relevant SMC advice click here
Other Formulary Decisions
Ibuprofen 5% topical gel for use as a topical analgesic and anti-inflammatory is included in the GGC Adult Formulary (Preferred List).
Imipramine tablets for the management of neuropathic pain (unlicensed indication) is included in the GGC Adult Formulary (Total Formulary). It is restricted to use in the management of neuropathic pain where amitriptyline is not appropriate because of issues with sedation or hypotension.
Formulary Section Review: Section 6.1 Drugs used in diabetes, was recently subject to a formal review. See the relevant section of the Formulary for the revised Formulary information.