Please find attached Bayer’s information letter: BE.XAR.VAE_Remboursement CADPAD_FR
Dear members of the SB,
As part of the strategy to resolve the worldwide shortage of thrombolytic therapy, the BSC has been informed that Boehringer-Ingelheim will temporarily produce Actilyse vials with latex plugs that could also contain traces of Gentamycine. These vials could be encountered in your local hospital from the end of October onward (and will likely be produced for several months).
BI states that boxes containing vials with latex plugs and vials that could contain traces of Gentamycine will be clearly labeled by stickers (see photograph). These vials should never be administered to patients with a latex/rubber sensitivity or sensitivity to Gentamycine.
27/10/2023 – CVD awareness action
We need to implement health objectives into a Belgian Cardiovascular Health Plan. These objectives are critical to reduce mortality and morbidity caused by cardiovascular diseases. This plan was put forward by the newly formed Belgian Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (BACH). An awareness action at the Chamber of Representatives on November 9th was held to get political awareness and support.
Cardiovascular diseases are, together with cancer, the leading cause of death in Belgium. Yet they remain inadequately addressed. Over 1,000,000 people in Belgium suffer from these silent killers, resulting in 30,000 deaths and 4.5 billion euros in annual healthcare costs, with projections of further increases.
As being part of BACH, the first multi-stakeholder collaboration of universities, prevention organizations, scientific associations, and industry companies, we participated in the awareness action in the Chamber of Representatives in Brussels. We were glad to see many MP’s show their heart for the Belgian Cardiovascular Health Plan.
BACH is the multistakeholder alliance of: Hôpital Erasme – ULB, Belgian Stroke Council, Belgian Heart League, Saint-Luc UCLouvain, Belgian Society of Cardiology, UGent, Belgian Atherosclerosis Society, CHU UCL Namur, UZ Gent, Belgian Society of Cardiology, CHU de Liège, EAPC, Jessa ziekenhuis, AZ Groeninge, Belgian Heart League, UZ Leuven, AZ Sint-Jan, Belgian Hypertension Committee, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, MSD Belgium, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi Belgium and Servier.
#cardiovasculardiseases #Heartplan #CVD
New data collected as part of the Stroke Action Plan for Europe (SAP-E) Stroke Service Tracker reveals the
gross inequity of access to care and support for stroke patients and stroke survivors across Europe.
The SAP-E was launched in 2018 to provide a framework for European governments to improve stroke care
and support for all European citizens. As part of this plan, data from 36 countries across Europe, covering
12 key areas of improvement, has been collected in and is available via the SAP-E website.
Thrombolytic drug shortage is expected to last until 2024. The manufacturing company is limiting supply to all countries worldwide. Currently, the impact on future drug delivery is still unclear. However, for the month October, drug delivery will be further restricted.
Additionally, the production of Actosolv, mainly used for IV cathether obstruction, has not yet been resumed and will likely become unavailable from January 2023.
With the help of Belgian experts, FAGG/AFMPS has released guidance for hospital pharmacists and medical doctors concerning the shortage of thrombolytic drugs. The guideline serves the purpose of making other medical specialities aware of the shortage and restricting the use of thrombolytics for non-urgent indications. Centralisation of hospital stock and monitoring of local usage is highly recommended. With regards to treatment of ischemic stroke, increased use of MRI or CT perfusion imaging is recommended to avoid treating stroke mimics as much as possible, avoiding off-label alteplase use and optimalisation of alteplase dosing using complete vials of 20 and 50mg, taking into account local availability of both dosages, is advised to avoid wastage.
Some guidelines for rational use of tPA:
Avoiding tPA wastage by limiting the use of 2x 50mg vials and rounding to full vial dosages. As a rule of thumb we suggest:
Read also the FAGG recommendation here
Dutch: https://tinyurl.com/4hf5xvxp
French: https://tinyurl.com/c7av4k4c
See also additional guidance by the European Stroke Organization and the Advisory board Thrombolytics – Boehringer Ingelheim: