Other safety alerts
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| Singapore: Role of HLA-B*5801 genotyping prior to initiation of allopurinol |
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Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore would like to inform healthcare professionals that routine genotyping for the HLA-B*5801 allele prior to the initiation of allopurinol therapy is not required as standard of care in Singapore. The basis for this recommendation took into consideration the low Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 2.4% of HLA-B*5801 for allopurinol-induced Serious Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (SCAR), limited alternative urate-lowering therapies (ULTs), and the unfavourable cost-effectiveness analysis based on current data. Genotyping may be considered in patients who have other pre-existing risk factors such as renal impairment to identify patients at high risk of allopurinol-induced SCAR. Healthcare professionals are advised to use allopurinol with caution. Genetic testing should not substitute for appropriate clinical vigilance and patient management.
Please refer to the following website in HSA for details:
http://www.hsa.gov.sg/content/hsa/../role-of-hla-b-5801genotypingpriortoinitiationofallopurinol.html
In Hong Kong, there are 46 registered pharmaceutical products containing allopurinol. All these products are pharmacy only medicines. So far, the Department of Health has received two cases of adverse drug reactions in connection with allopurinol, and both of them involved Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The Department of Health will remain vigilant on the safety of medicines containing allopurinol.
Ends/ Thursday, March 24, 2016
Issued at HKT 14:30
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