PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 429 - 13 Sep 2003

■ A proposal allowing ambulance paramedics in theUK to administer two thrombolytic agents for acutemyocardial infarction has been put forward by theMedicines and Healthcare products RegulatoryAgency, reports Scrip. Paramedics are already allowedto administer streptokinase without the direction of aphysician, but the high incidence of allergic reactionsassociated without the agent and the need for carefullycontrolled IV infusion make it inadequate forprehospital admission, the agency says. BoehringerIngelheim’s tenecteplase [‘Metalyse’] and Roche’sreteplase [‘Rapilysin’] avoid these problems. Thechange is expected to be implemented early in 2004,subject to ministerial approval.UK to allow paramedics to administer two thrombolytics. Scrip : 8, No.2879/2880, 27-29 Aug 2003 800943452

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 13 Sep 2003 No. 4291173-5503/10/0429-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved