The European Medicines Agency Committee for Medical Products for Human Use (CHMP), responsible for human medicines, has granted a positive opinion on the medical products Riarify and Trydonis to treat moderate to severe COPD.
On the one hand, the benefits of both Riarify and Trydonis are their ability to relieve and prevent shortness of breath wheezing and cough, as well as to reduce exacerbations of COPD symptoms. On the other hand, the most common side effects are oral candidiasis, muscle spasm and dry mouth.
EMA Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC), responsible for assessing all aspects of the risk management of medicines for human use, has issued a statement on the use of retinoid medicines, which are used to treat several diseases, including eczema. In particular, PRAC recommends not to use topical retinoids during pregnancy and in women planning to have a baby, since an excessive use or skin lesions could possibly increase the absorption of retinoids, and therefore could cause harm to the unborn child.