Interim statement as LCP is phased out

21st January 2014

The leadership Alliance for Care of Dying People (LACDP) has published an interim statement on its work following the publication of the independent report on the Liverpool Care Pathway in July 2013. 

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News about palliativedrugs.com publications in 2014

9th January 2014

We anticipate that the PCF5 print and PDF editions will be available in autumn 2014. 

Apart from updated monographs, PCF5 will also contain additional selected information from Symptom Management in Advanced Cancer; this will be discontinued in 2014 after existing stock has been sold. 

We would like to thank our members for their support over 2013, particularly to those who have subscribed to the website. By way of thanks:

• the price of PCF5 print edition will be unchanged at £50 (including p&p in theUK), although bigger and thus more costly to produce and post
• the cost of the PCF5 PDF will be reduced to £25. 

In anticipation of these updated editions, we will also be discounting PCF4 print edition from 1st March 2014 to half price (£25) and, from 1st August 2014, the PCF4+ 2013 PDF to £15. 

The online formulary will still be continually updated, providing the most up to date version of the Palliative Care Formulary. If more members subscribe in 2014, we will review the cost of subscription to see if this can be reduced in 2015. 

We hope that the above information will help guide decisions on your purchases in 2014. 

If you require bulk purchases of any format please contact hq@palliativedrugs.com to discuss your requirements.

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New drug driving offence � changes to SPCs and product labelling

7th January 2014

The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued information about changes that will be made to UK SPCs, PILs and product packaging for all medicines controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act. This is in anticipation of the new drug driving offence that is due to be debated in parliament and come into effect later in 2014.

The main target for this offence is dangerous drivers who are impaired after recreational use of drugs, including illicit as well as controlled drugs such as morphine, amphetamine and some benzodiazepines (see our news item 08-08-2013). A statutory defence has been included in the draft legislation for patients who have been prescribed the drugs for medical or dental purposes and are taking them in accordance with the prescriber’s directions and information given by the manufacturer. The information given by the manufacturer in section 4.7 of the SPC is now to include the following text:

“This medicine can impair cognitive function and can affect a patient’s ability to drive safely. This class of medicine is in the list of drugs included in regulations under 5a of the Road Traffic Act 1988. When prescribing this medicine, patients should be told:

• The medicine is likely to affect your ability to drive
• Do not drive until you know how the medicine affects you
• It is an offence to drive while under the influence of this medicine
• However, you would not be committing an offence (called ‘statutory defence’) if:
  • The medicine has been prescribed to treat a medical or dental problem and
  • You have taken it according to the instructions given by the prescriber and in the information provided with the medicine and
  • It was not affecting your ability to drive safely”.

Similar wording is to be added to the PIL and product packaging.

In addition to this a further consultation on the amphetamine limit for drug driving was opened on 19^th December 2013, closing on 30^th January 2014.

MHRA information on changes

Drug driving proposed regulations

Consultation on amphetamine limit

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