Published: 5 September 2019

Publications

MARC’s remarks: June 2019 Meeting

Prescriber Update 40(3): 53
September 2019

The Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee (MARC) met on 13 June 2019 to discuss a number of medicine-related safety issues.

Based on their review of cases reported to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM), the MARC recommended that:

• Medsafe communicates with the coroner to request an update on CARM case 132344, where a patient was inadvertently administered Botox instead of Dysport (see the article describing the differences between the botulinum toxin type A products available in New Zealand)
• the Chair of the MARC communicates with the New Zealand Formulary to request that their Fleet enema monograph is updated to include information about the risk of hyperphosphataemia.

The MARC discussed trimethoprim use in patients aged 65 years or older. The MARC recommended that Medsafe includes an article about medicines that can interfere with creatinine measurement/excretion in a future edition of Prescriber Update.

The MARC discussed carbimazole and congenital malformations. The MARC recommended that the carbimazole data sheet and consumer medicine information are strengthened with additional information regarding contraception, and the risk of congenital malformations when carbimazole is taken during pregnancy.

The MARC discussed fluoroquinolone use and aortic aneurysm/dissection. The MARC recommended that the fluoroquinolone data sheets are updated to include information about this risk. The MARC also recommended that Medsafe includes an article about the risk of aortic aneurysm/dissection with fluoroquinolone use in a future edition of Prescriber Update.

The MARC discussed a potential drug-drug interaction between nortriptyline and sertraline. The MARC recommended that the tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) data sheets are updated with information about the risk of serotonin syndrome when these classes of medicines are used concomitantly.

See the Medsafe website for the MARC meeting minutes and the reports presented to the MARC.