Letters sent to healthcare professionals in April 2016

In April 2016, letters were sent regarding canagliflozin (Invokana▼, Vokanamet▼), BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors, pomalidomide (Imnovid▼), and retigabine (Trobalt)

• From: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
• Published: 10 May 2016

• Therapeutic area: Cancer, Endocrinology, diabetology and metabolism, Infectious disease, Neurology and Ophthalmology

In April 2016, letters were sent to healthcare professionals regarding:

• canagliflozin-containing medicines (Invokana▼, Vokanamet▼): risk of lower limb amputation (primarily of the toe)
• BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib▼, dasatinib, nilotinib, bosutinib▼, ponatinib▼) and risk of hepatitis B reactivation: screen patients for hepatitis B virus before treatment - see also article in this issue
• pomalidomide (Imnovid▼): hepatitis B virus status to be established before initiating treatment - see also article in this issue
• retigabine (Trobalt): risk acquired vitelliform maculopathy

Article citation: Drug Safety Update Vol 9 issue 10 May 2016 4.

Published 10 May 2016