Syringe Driver Survey Database migration to MedicinesComplete - January 2023

Syringe Driver Survey Database has moved to MedicinesComplete and is no longer available on palliativedrugs.com.

It has been renamed to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database and is now accessed through Drug Compatibility Checker.

Drug Compatibility Checker, through MedicinesComplete is a new tool providing essential compatibility knowledge to support the administration of injectable drugs combining published data and clinical practice reports.

Find out more about Drug Compatibility Checker:https://about.medicinescomplete.com/publication/drug-compatibility-checker/

If you have a subscription to Palliative Care Formulary through MedicinesComplete, you will have access to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database through Drug Compatibility Checker, at no charge through 2023. 

To contribute to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database please continue to submit a clinical practice report using palliativedrugs.com here: https://www.palliativedrugs.com/syringe-driver-database.html

To learn more about a subscription to the Palliative Care Formulary through MedicinesComplete, please contact us here: https://info.medicinescomplete.com/sales

If you have any questions regarding access to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database or would like to renew your subscription to Palliative Care Formulary, please contact pharmpress-support@rpharms.com.

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FDA enhances warnings for opioids

27th April 2016

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced class-wide enhanced labelling warnings for:

• immediate-release opioid pain medications, in relation to risks of misuse, abuse, addiction, overdose and death; these are similar to those added to modified-release formulations in 2013 (see our news item 24 September 2013) and
• both immediate-release and modified-release formulations, in relation to the undesirable effects on the endocrine system, and also the potential for interaction with other medicines which can result in serotonin syndrome.

The updated indication for immediate-release opioids states that they should be reserved for pain severe enough to require opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options (e.g. non-opioid analgesics or opioid combination products) are inadequate or not tolerated. The dosing information also provides clearer instructions regarding patient monitoring and drug administration, including initial dosage, dosage changes during therapy and a warning not to abruptly stop treatment in a physically dependent patient. In addition, a precaution that chronic maternal use of opioids during pregnancy can result in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome has been added.

Safety measures for immediate-release opioids

Safety issues for all opioids