Drug safety advice
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Rituximab: screen for hepatitis B virus before treatment
Screening for hepatitis B virus is now recommended in all patients (not only those at risk of this infection) before starting treatment for all indications. A patient with positive serology for hepatitis B virus should be referred to a specialist in liver disease before starting treatment with rituximab.
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Clopidogrel: risk of acquired haemophilia
Reports of acquired haemophilia have been received in association with clopidogrel. This very rare but serious condition may be missed due to the established risk of bleeding associated with clopidogrel treatment.
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Ponatinib (Iclusig▼): risk of vascular occlusive events
A review of the latest data has been conducted after new information suggested that vascular occlusive events occur at a higher cumulative incidence than initially observed at the time of licensing.
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We are aware of 69 complaints in the UK with this product after the introduction of a new design of dropper in July 2013.
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Recombinant interferon-beta: thrombotic microangiopathy
We are investigating a cluster of reports of thrombotic microangiopathy with recombinant interferon-beta.
Other information from the MHRA
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