Healthy Skepticism Announcements
Independent drug bulletin: Prescrire International now available in English in 11 issues per year
Prescrire is a non-profit, continuing education organisation that is completely independent of any ties to government or industry. Prescrire's managers and editorial staff sign a yearly statement certifying that they have no conflicts of interest. Prescrire's publications accept no advertising, grants or other outside support or any kind.
Visit: http://english.prescrire.org/en/
Prescrire International is totally funded by subscribers, with no support from the pharmaceutical industry or government. It is monthly and published 11 times a year as of November 2010.
Health professionals in low-income countries (excluding drug companies) can benefit from a subscription to Prescrire International thanks to Solidarity Subscription Rates.
Contents of the December issue include:
EDITORIAL
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Cherry-picking
Beware selective excerpts from the SPC
FREE
NEW PRODUCTS
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Timothy pollen (hay fever) (A Second Look)
Longer follow-up, but still no proven advantage
INN common stems: -onidine, -arotene
Temsirolimus (mantle cell lymphoma) (New Indication)
Highly toxic, limited efficacy
Ivabradine (stable angina) (New Indication)
Do not use instead of, or with, a beta-blocker
Certolizumab pegol (rheumatoid arthritis) (New Drug)
Just another TNF alpha antagonist, no therapeutic advantage
Duloxetine (Labelling Change)
Also avoid its use in recurrent depression
ADVERSE EFFECTS
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Tibolone and breast cancer
Evidence of increased risk
FREE
Routine antibiotics for preterm labour: risk of cerebral palsy
Do not use in women without membrane rupture or infection
Finasteride: male breast cancer
British data
Desmopressin: more cases of water intoxication
A French pharmacovigilance survey
REVIEWS
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Acute poisoning following ingestion of medicines: initial management
Paracetamol poisoning: acetylcysteine to protect the liver
Preventing absorption of ingested toxins
Opioids and naloxone
Emergency drugs for acute medication poisoning
OUTLOOK
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Clinical data revealed in court
Hidden by drug companies, withheld by Food and Drug Administration
Who funds patient groups?
French diabetes patient group unhappy with Prescrire
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