Capsules. Killing fields of health workers

SYRIA war zone

Marking six years since the start of the Syrian conflict, a The Lancet study provides new estimates for the number of medical personnel killed: 814 from March 2011 to February 2017. With nearly 200 attacks on health facilities in 2016 alone, the year “... marked the most dangerous year to date for health workers in Syria, and attacks on health workers continue. Rampant violations of international humanitarian law, and particularly the systematic attacks on health facilities and workers with intention to shut down care, to control the population set dangerous precedents,” wrote lead author of the study, Dr Samer Jabbour, an Associate Professor of Public Health Practice, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut.

Diarrhoea drug warning

Patients sans gallbladder beware

The US FDA has warned that Viberzi (eluxadoline), used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D), should not be administered to patients who do not have a gallbladder. An FDA review found that these patients have an increased risk of developing serious pancreatitis resulting in hospitalisation or death. “...we are working with the Viberzi manufacturer, Allergan, to address these safety concerns,” said the regulator.

MRI contrast agents

European regulator’s caution

The European Medicines Agency's Pharmacovigilance and Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) has recommended the suspension of the marketing authorisations for four linear gadolinium contrast agents because of evidence that small amounts of the gadolinium get deposited in the brain. Gadolinium contrast agents are used to improve image quality of MRI scans.

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