Quality & complianceOfficial

MHRA October Safety Roundup: antidepressant warnings, IXCHIQ withdrawal and CRRT filter advice

🇬🇧 MHRA alerts · Tue 27 Oct 2026

The UK regulator's monthly digest announces new antidepressant patient-information measures and the withdrawal of the IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine's marketing authorisation, alongside a device safety note on CRRT.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published its October 2026 Safety Roundup on 27 October, a digest of recent safety advice for users of medicines and medical devices. The source text available is truncated, so only the first items can be reported here.

The first item concerns antidepressants. Following a review involving patients and their families, the MHRA is introducing measures for all patients to improve how the risks of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and of persistent sexual dysfunction, are communicated. The changes comprise a new boxed warning in the patient information leaflet (PIL), a new patient card and a supporting safety (ancillary) leaflet. The term post SSRI sexual dysfunction ("PSSD") is also being added to the PIL for some antidepressants. The ancillary leaflet is due to become available in 2027. The agency stresses these are not new risks.

Healthcare professionals are advised to discuss both risks with patients when an antidepressant is started or the dose changed, or at the next review, and to follow NICE guidance and monitor patients regularly after starting treatment. Suspected adverse reactions should be reported via the Yellow Card scheme.

The second item is the withdrawal of the UK marketing authorisation for the IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine. On the advice of the Commission on Human Medicines, the MHRA concluded that the benefit-risk balance is no longer favourable, and the product is being removed from the UK market. Professionals should not prescribe, supply or administer it, should dispose of remaining stock under local policies, and should update any materials, systems or communications that refer to UK vaccination options. Travellers should be advised on alternatives, including other available chikungunya vaccines, avoiding mosquito bites and following current travel health advice. People already vaccinated need no specific action, but should seek medical advice if they suspect an adverse reaction.

A third item, a Device Safety Information note, advises considering delayed administration of concurrent echinocandins such as caspofungin during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). The aim is to reduce adsorption onto new polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based filter membranes. The source text breaks off at this point, so further detail is not available.

What it means for your team

  • Regulatory and labelling teams for antidepressant products should check the full Drug Safety Update for the PIL boxed warning, patient card and ancillary leaflet requirements, including the PSSD wording and 2027 timing.
  • Marketing authorisation holders and distributors involved with IXCHIQ should note the UK withdrawal, the removal from the market and the need to update materials that mention it.
  • PV teams should continue to handle Yellow Card reports for both antidepressants and IXCHIQ.
  • Quality, device and hospital pharmacy teams using CRRT with PAN-based filters should read the full Device Safety Information note on echinocandin timing; the source here is incomplete.

Official source: MHRA alerts ↗

Article written by VigiEye from the official source (MHRA alerts). AI-assisted; check the source before acting.

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