News
Read all the latest news from the Medicines for Children team
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Giving medicines to babies
The Medicines for Children team are delighted to share a series of resources for parents and carers. They provide information to support safe use of medicines for babies at home.
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Measles outbreak – what can you do?
Healthcare professionals are worried about the current rapid rise in cases of measles. Measles is spread very quickly and can cause serious (even life-threatening) symptoms in babies, young children and in unborn babies. The National Health Service (NHS) is encouraging children to be vaccinated as soon as possible if they have not already received two doses of vaccine. This will protect your child from measles and also help to stop the virus from spreading.
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Shortages of epilepsy medicines
Pharmacies in the UK may be having problems obtaining some medicines used to treat epilepsy. The way that medicines are bought and stocked has been changing over the last few years, causing occasional problems with the supply of some medicines. In this news item we set out practical steps that can help to avoid medicines shortages.
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New information published on medicines used to reduce saliva production
Glycopyrronium and hyoscine hydrobromide are two different medicines that are used to reduce the amount of saliva produced in the mouth. These medicines are needed to help children with conditions that affect the nerves or muscles in the face who may have difficulty swallowing their saliva. The two new information leaflets describe how to give these medicines safely - they are available on the Medicines for Children website from today.
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New QR code posters for asthma and allergic conditions
These new posters enable quick access to our medicines information for conditions affecting many children and young people; asthma and allergic conditions. The posters are available to download and print out for parents and carers to access medicines information quickly and easily in clinic or hospital settings.
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New safety measures in place for prescribing oral isotretinoin (roaccutane) for severe acne
The UK government have launched a strengthened set of safety measures for the prescribing of a medicine used to used to treat severe acne. These measures include additional safeguards when prescribing isotretinoin to patients under 18 years old, along with closer monitoring of a patient’s mental health and sexual well-being during treatment.
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World Patient Safety Day – Sunday 17th September 2023
World Patient Safety Day this year is focussed on the importance of engaging patients for patient safety. This is in recognition of the essential role that patients, families and caregivers can play by becoming active members of the health care team. When engaged and treated as partners in care, significant gains are made in safety and health outcomes, and there are improvements in patient satisfaction and the functioning of the health care system as a whole.
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Medicines QR code posters update
Since launching our first QR code posters at the end of 2022, they have grown in popularity and have led to many requests for more to be developed. These posters enable quick access to our medicines information and are available to download and print out for parents and carers to use in clinic or hospital settings.
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Safety alert about rare but serious side-effects with hyoscine patches
If your child needs hyoscine patches - brand name Scopoderm - a warning has been issued that young children may have an increased risk of some rare side-effects. It is important that parents are aware of these side effects.
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Supporting conversations about medicines with healthcare professionals
We have developed a new resource for parents and carers to aid meaningful conversations with healthcare professionals about your child's medicines. Our new help sheet suggests questions that you might want to ask at your next appointment.
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QR-code poster published for medicines to treat heart conditions
The Medicines for Children team have developed a new QR code poster for medicines used to treat heart conditions. This poster is made in collaboration with the East Midlands Congenital Heart Network, supported by funding from the Edith Florence Spencer Memorial Trust.
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A new podcast in support of ‘Purple Day’
The Medicines for Children team have produced a podcast about a young person’s experience of living with epilepsy. In this 30 minute podcast, Fiona – a young person with epilepsy – and her mum, Karen, share their family's experience of living with epilepsy. This podcast is being released on ‘Purple Day’ - an international day dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. We hope this podcast will be helpful for families living with epilepsy or for those who are adjusting to a new diagnosis.
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