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Analysis of administrative decisions of foreign regulatory authorities on the recall of medicines and/or the need for changes in the instructions for their medical use due to changes in the safety profile, conducted by experts of the Scientific Centre for Expert Evaluation of Medicinal Products revealed 19 administrative decisions. These decisions contained information on the following medicines registered in Russia: amikacin, tobramycin, gentamicin, neomycin, ciprofloxacin, delafloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, prulifloxacin, rufloxacin, сeftriaxone, ceftaroline, rifapentine, tigecycline, bacitracin, ertapenem, daptomycin, erythromycin, fosfomycin, ampicillin+sulbactam, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine.

The introduction into clinical practice of immune checkpoint inhibitors that block cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), has improved the prognosis of patients with malignant neoplasms of diff erent localisation. The antitumour eff ect of immune checkpoint inhibitors is based on blocking CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathways and enhancing lymphocyte antitumour activity. However, inhibition of immune checkpoints may lead to dysregulation of immune responses and appearance of a new type of adverse reactions resulting from changes in the activity of immunocompetent cells. The aim of the study was to analyse adverse reactions associated with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors. It was demonstrated that the structure of immune-mediated adverse reactions varied depending on the class of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The incidence of immune-mediated adverse reactions was higher with CTLA-4 inhibitors as compared with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, and increased signifi cantly in the case of combination therapy. The treatment with CTLA-4 inhibitors most often resulted in skin reactions (rash, itching), gastrointestinal tract reactions (diarrhea, colitis), and endocrine gland problems (hypophysitis). The treatment with PD-1 inhibitors most often led to respiratory disorders (pneumonitis), and in some cases to gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, colitis), skin reactions (rash, itching), and endocrine gland problems (hypothyroidism), but they were less common. The treatment with PD-L1 inhibitors was associated with the development of pneumonitis. The development of immune-mediated adverse reactions may require discontinuation of treatment and administration of immunosuppressants, therefore early diagnosis and timely treatment of complications are important prerequisites for successful antitumour therapy. Further study of the mechanisms of immune-mediated adverse reaction development will optimise antitumour therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

In the 1960s, following the Thalidomide Disaster, the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated the development of an international drug safety monitoring programme. The objectives of this WHO programme are to improve the quality and safety of pharmaceuticals, and to support public health programmes by providing information for effective assessment of the risk-benefit ratio of medicinal products. The paper outlines the main focus areas of the programme and the mechanism of interaction between the countries involved. It summarises the functions of the WHO Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring located in Uppsala, namely, accumulation and assessment of data on efficacy, inefficacy and risks of medicinal products, which are communicated by the participating countries, and provision of reliable and coherent data to specialists. The paper provides a review of online resources and methods used by VigiBase — global database of adverse drug reactions — that make it possible to search and analyse the data statistically. It describes the functions of the national monitoring centres located in different regions, and their interaction with the WHO. The dissemination of objective and reliable medical information throughout the world, promotion of pharmacovigilance as a science, creation of international partnerships and pooling of expertise from different countries allow for a significant improvement in the safety of pharmacotherapy.

Due to repeated reports of adverse effects with the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, these drugs become over and over again the object of the close attention of pharmacovigilance specialists and health care specialists. The aim : to study the frequency and the nature of adverse reactions associated with the use of ciprofloxacin, based on the analysis of the spontaneous reports received by the Russian pharmacovigilance service. Materials and Methods : A retrospective analysis of the spontaneous reports of ciprofloxacin was conducted on the data-base «Pharmacovigilance» of the automated information system of Roszdravnadzor from 2008 to 2018. Results : 3403 adverse reactions that occurred in 2083 patients using ciprofloxacin were recorded. The most frequently developed reactions were from skin and subcutaneous tissues (37.3 %), general disorders and disorders at the injection site (21.1 %), gastrointestinal tract reactions (14.9 %). More than a one third of the reports contained information about serious adverse reactions. Unexpected reactions were identified as not recorded in the instructions for the medical use of ciprofloxacin: bradycardia, atrial arrhythmia, cyanosis, increased blood pressure. Conclusions : fluoroquinolone antibiotics with proven efficacy and years of experience in clinical use, continue to be drugs whose safety requires constant monitoring. The results of the study confirmed the possibility of detecting a wide range of the adverse reactions using the method of spontaneous reports. Regulatory authorities of the Russian Federation should recommend to registration certificate holders to include the information of adverse reactions of ciprofloxacin that were registered in the post-marketing period in the instructions for medical use.

Vaccine safety is an important aspect of mass immunization of the population. Adverse reactions that occur following vaccination result in a decrease in public confidence. The aim of this research was to identify information on the development of adverse events after immunization with vaccines included into the national vaccination calendars of the USA, European Union (EU), Japan, China, South Korea and India. Particular attention was paid to vaccines that are not included in the vaccination calendar, but are presented in the Russian Federation. During monitoring of vaccination against human papillomavirus information in the European Union, Japan and the United States, according the possible connection with development of autoimmune diseases was refuted. Monitoring of adverse events after vaccination with rotavirus vaccine I generation in the USA, EU and India, allowed to establish a link with the development of intestine invagination and limit the use of this medicinal product in favor of vaccine II generation. After starting vaccination against influenza was detected narcolepsy as a complication of this procedure; and when analyzing the complications of meningococcal vaccination Guillain — Barre syndrome was detected. We also analyzed information on various complications associated with vaccination against Japanese viral encephalitis, which was included into the national vaccination calendar of countries in Asia and the Pacifi c region — China, India, Japan, and South Korea. The main complications registered in the PRC after the introduction of Japanese encephalitis vaccine into the national vaccination calendar included: febrile seizures, thrombocytopenic purpura, encephalitis and meningitis. The main safety concerns about vaccines included into the national vaccination calendars of EU countries, the USA and the Asia-Pacific region concern vaccines that have recently appeared on the pharmaceutical market.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are liders in selling both in the Russian Federation and worldwide. The combination of analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects make the drugs of this group very popular in patients with various diseases. The realization of NSAIDs in pharmacies occurs both by prescription and over-the-counter, so the safety assessment of the use of this group of drugs remains relevant. In the current practice, self-administration (responsible selfmedication) of drugs of the NSAID group is an additional factor affecting the safety of their intake. According to the studies, about 40 % of patients taking NSAIDs consider that NSAIDS are absolutely safe, and more than 30 % of those taking OTC NSAIDs use them in excess of the recommended dosages. We analyzed 3963 individual case safety reports (ICSR) in the federal database «Pharmacovigilance» from 07.12.2008 to 31.08.2017. The inclusion criterions was the presence of information on the off-label application of NSAIDs in the ICSR, reports of adverse effects that may be associated with the use of this drug or erroneous reports on the active substance, which was not present in this drug. The most frequent mistakes in the application were an increase of the daily dose, a change in the method of administration to patient who are contraindicated with this drug. There were 9 ICSR of burning sensation in the anus with the introduction of ibuprofen suppositories (not in the label), and 7 ICSR of ineffectiveness of the active substance, which was not present in this drug.

The monitoring of information on the safety of various drugs is becoming more relevant day by day, as the number of drugs on the pharmaceutical market increases, generic drugs, bio-analogous drugs appear. Long-term post-marketing use of a medicinal product allows to accumulate a sufficient evidence base and experience of application in various population groups, to study the features of the use of this drug. Information on the safe use of new drugs can be obtained in selected scientific publications. In addition to publications in the specialized scientific literature, regulators of different countries on the basis of new information give opinions on the need to make changes in instructions for medical use. When analyzing the recommendations of Russian and foreign regulatory authorities on restricting the circulation of medicines and / or the need to amend the instructions for their medical use in connection with the change in the assessment of the safety profile, we identified 16 administrative decisions of foreign regulatory bodies containing information about the following drugs registered in Russia. We consider all recommendations to be important information on the safety of medicines, which is addressed to specialists in the field of medicine, in particular to persons authorized by pharmacovigilance in pharmaceutical companies. In addition, this information may be of interest to physicians of various specialties who in their practice use buprenorphine, venlafaxine, gadolinium contrast drugs hydroxyethyl starch, daclizumab, duloxetine, denosumab, cladribine, clomifene citrate, milnacipran, methotrexate, pemetrexet, radium dichloride, rifampicin, phoebusostat, flupirtine.

The article is devoted to the problems of safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The analysis of 3,963 spontaneous reports to the Russian database for the period from December 7, 2008 to August 31, 2017, with the aim of identifying information on adverse reactions that have occurred during the application of NSAIDs is presented. Most often unwanted reactions were registered for preparations of acetylsalicylic acid, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketorolac. A total of 6,257 adverse reactions were recorded. The greatest specific weight among all cases of undesirable reactions were disorders of the immune system, skin, subcutaneous tissues and gastrointestinal tract. The lack of therapeutic effectiveness of drugs was recorded in 280 cases. Most often, such ADR on NSAIDs were angioedema, urticaria, erosive gastritis, skin rash, increased blood pressure. In case of using of the over-the-counter drugs and self-medication it is necessary to work with the population to form a responsible attitude to the use of medicines, warn of possible complications of self-medication and conditions requiring compulsory medical attention.