Fentanyl Patches

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Liz Barton — Tue, 01 May 2018 20:49:24 GMT

We find them useful in a shelter setting with RVNs and vets handling the patients. They'd be without opioids overnight after e.g. fixing a fracture or amputation if we didn't have them. We don't send patients home with them... or even back to the on site kennels or catteries. They're used in surgery wards only.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Sarah Keir — Tue, 01 May 2018 20:16:46 GMT

I think I saw some in the DD cupboard, will investigate and call the VMD.

Thanks you for your replies to my ignorance!

Sarah

RE: Fentanyl Patches

bob lehner — Tue, 01 May 2018 09:07:39 GMT

Just seen the answer from Andrea Tarr - maybe she is correct re usage of existing stock. You could ask the vmd.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

bob lehner — Tue, 01 May 2018 09:04:37 GMT

[quote user="Sarah Keir"]'The marketing authorisation for Recuvyra has expired[/quote]

From the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013:

''No person may place a veterinary medicinal product on the market unless that product has been granted a marketing authorisation by the Secretary of State or the Agency. ''

So it can now no longer be legally sold.

I'm not 100% sure, but suspect any you have left should be destroyed as I guess it is probably not legal to use it - and if an animal had an adverse reaction etc. you could well be on shaky ground.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Andrea Tarr — Tue, 01 May 2018 09:03:43 GMT

No marketing authorisation means it cannot be marketed in the UK. It hasn't been withdrawn, so if you've already got some, and it's in date, then you can use it.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Sarah Keir — Tue, 01 May 2018 07:37:30 GMT

From the European Medicines Agency:

'The marketing authorisation for Recuvyra has expired following the marketing-authorisation holder’s decision not to apply for a renewal.'

Can someone enlighten me as to what this means? No marketing authorisation means they cannot advertise it or that is is not available? What if we have some in the DD cupboard?

Thanks. Sarah

RE: Fentanyl Patches

David Mills — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 23:58:20 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]Scared me shitless, sounded like too much of a risk to staff, animals, owners and especially children.[/quote]

I never did the training but I felt exactly the same after reading the data-sheet. And so did the EU apparently:

Its precautions and contraindications section make for worrying reading.

Niall

[/quote]

Well not strictly true. They just didnt renew the licence as far as I can see.

Pity really, sounds useful, the risk to humans seemed very low (it soaked in after 5 mins).

RE: Fentanyl Patches

James Dunne — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 12:36:01 GMT

We occasionally use fentanyl as patches in hospital. They can have profound cardiorespiratory depressive effects as well as causing marked skin irritation from time to time. We never send the dog home with them stuck on in case the owner handles them. There has apparently been an incident in the UK where this was done and the owner swabbed for opiates as part of her work as a police officer and then had a lot of explaining to do when she tested positive. If you do wish to use them, the ventral tail base is fairly hair-free and you can bandage around the patch reasonably easily. To be honest, we've used them a lot less in recent years and tend to use nerve blocks/ local/ MLK infusions instead.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Martin Atkinson — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 12:17:44 GMT

Sounds like I'll give them a miss then.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

bob lehner — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 11:00:42 GMT

I get the definite impression that Fentanyl patches have fallen out of favour in recent years - I certainly see far fewer on my travels, poking around peoples' CD cabinets as I do. Many of those I do find have gone out of date and need to be destroyed in the approved manner (Sch 2 CD).

Concerns re safety - if the animal, or even worse, a child ingests a patch - also potential contamination of people handling the animal - there was the documented case of a police officer owner who failed a routine drugs blood test via contamination from their pet which had been sent home with a patch - caused all sorts of problems. Plus limited information on efficacy in animals - and obviously used under the cascade.

As Jo says - Fentanyl is a very, very potent drug which causes a lot of problems in human users.

Not to be trifled with.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Jo Dyer — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 09:49:25 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]We used to use them but stopped after hearing they could be fatal in children[/quote]

Me too when my GP friends told me how regularly people die as a result of fentanyl. I never found them very reliable anyway, I had great difficulty getting them to stick and the pain relief (presumably as a result) did not appear great.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Niall Taylor — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 08:22:06 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]Scared me shitless, sounded like too much of a risk to staff, animals, owners and especially children.[/quote]

I never did the training but I felt exactly the same after reading the data-sheet. And so did the EU apparently:

Its precautions and contraindications section make for worrying reading.

Niall

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Michael Woodhouse — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 00:38:44 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]Wasn't that a liquid? With some special training? Sounded a decent idea.[/quote]

Yes of days duration. I did the online training and completed it on the 22/05/2013 to give an idea of when it was launched. Scared me shitless, sounded like too much of a risk to staff, animals, owners and especially children. Never dared order any.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

David Mills — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 22:40:18 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]

Is Recuvyra still on the market?

[/quote]

Wasn't that a liquid? With some special training? Sounded a decent idea.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Niall Taylor — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 22:14:12 GMT

We used to use them but stopped after hearing they could be fatal in children (https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm300803.htm). No way am I sending home something that dangerous just stuck to a dog.

Niall

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Rob Loxley — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 22:01:02 GMT

Is Recuvyra still on the market?

RE: Fentanyl Patches

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 15:07:26 GMT

[quote user="nick shackleton"]Have you looked for durogesic patches[/quote]Yup, they don't appear under that either.

RE: Fentanyl Patches

nick shackleton — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:38:51 GMT

Write a prescription and take it to your loxal pharmacy. I’m sure in the past we have got them from one of the wholesalers. Have you looked for durogesic patches, they aren’t called fentanyl patches