GGC Medicines Update is a series of blogs with important medicines related messages relevant to all healthcare professionals across GGC.
Please note, Medicines Update blogs are correct at the time of publication.
Medicines Update blogs remain on the website for 4 years. If you would like a copy of a blog published more than 4 years ago, please contact ggc.medicines.update@nhs.scot.
Click here for a promotional poster on Medicines Update and here for an animation on the Communications subcommittee of ADTC responsible for the development of Medicines Update.
If you would like to contribute to Medicines Update, click here for further information and here for a guide to blog writing. When you email the committee to discuss writing a blog, you will be sent a checklist to complete prior to submitting the blog for review.
Posted: Friday, September 8, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
To access the full blog via Microsoft Sway, click here.
New NHSGGC guideline to help raise awareness and management of the interaction between oral tetracycline and fluoroquinolone antibiotics with multivalent cation-containing products (e.g. iron and calcium)
Posted: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
Key Medicine Shortages September 2023 here
Includes: Disulfiram, Jext (adrenaline), Phenytoin sodium, Pilocarpine hydrochloride, Minims® Povidone Iodine, Reboxetine (Edronax®), Tacrolimus (Adoport®), Tacrolimus (Dailiport®), Rifampicin 150mg/Isoniazid 75mg/Pyrazinamide 400mg/Ethambutol 275mg (Voractiv®), products used in the treatment of scabies: Permethrin 5% dermal cream (Lyclear®) and Malathion 0.5% liquid
Posted: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
MHRA Drug Safety Update August 2023 here
Posted: Friday, August 18, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
Certain drug classes and combinations of medicines confer greater risk for frail patients than the general adult population. Any medicine which can cause sedation, hypotension or hypoglycaemia can increase risk of falls.
To access the full blog via Microsoft Sway, click here
Posted: Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
Guideline News July 2023 here
Posted: Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
Off-label or unlicensed use of medicines here.
The MHRA and the NHS Circular PCA(P)(2015)17 recommend that ‘specials’ and imported unlicensed medicines should only be used where there is no suitable licensed alternative. Clinicians should not routinely use an unlicensed preparation when there is a licensed product available, unless there is a specific clinical reason.
Posted: Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
Suspected defective medicines policy here
Guidance for reporting a suspected defective medicine is provided within this policy,
along with a reporting form. These can be found via GGC Medicines: Medicines Policies
under the miscellaneous section (8.1 and 8.1.1).
Posted: Monday, August 7, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
MHRA Drug Safety Update July 2023 here
Posted: Monday, August 7, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
Key Medicine Shortages July 2023 here
Includes: atomoxetine capsules, diazepam rectal solution tubes, glucagon (GlucaGen) injection, testosterone (Tostran) gel, paracetamol suppositories and GLP-1 agonists.
Posted: Monday, August 7, 2023
Category - Medicines Update
Prolongation of the QTc interval can lead to a life-threatening arrhythmia known as Torsades de Pointes (TdP).
This blog series aims to provide prescribers and other healthcare professionals with practical advice on how to manage cases of potential drug-induced QTc prolongation and the prescribing of QTc prolonging drugs. The blogs cover interpretation of the QT interval, risk factors for QTc prolongation, drug interactions which can increase the risk of QTc prolongation and what can be done to minimise the risks of drug-induced QTc prolongation. These blogs have been developed to replace GGC Medicines Update Extra bulletin MUE 08: Drug induced QT prolongation (July 2018).