Who Collaborating Centre
for Drug Statistics
Methodology

Postal address: Office address:Telephone: + 47 21 07 81 60

P.O.Box 4404 Nydalen Marcus Thranes gt. 6Telefax: + 47 21 07 81 46

N-0403 Oslo N-0473 OsloE-mail:

To the users of the

ATC/DDD system8 December 2008

Dear Sir/Madam,

ATC/DDD ALTERATIONS AND NEW ATC/DDDs

Enclosed please find the lists of ATC and DDD alterations valid from January 2009. Lists of new ATC codes and new DDDs are also enclosed. Please note that the lists are in two languages, i.e. English and Spanish, to cover the present official versions of the ATC index. The German version will no longer be officially updated from the WHO Centre in Oslo.

Four ATC 5th level alterations are made this year. The classification of bupropion has been changed from ATC group N07BA Drugs used in nicotine dependence back to ATC group N06AX Other antidepressants since this is now considered to be the main indication worldwide. The other three alterations, tedisamil (now C01BD06), benfluorex (now A10BX06) and methoxyflurane (now N02BG09), are all made to better reflect the presently approved indications. These alterations and a few name changes in ATC levels are included in the enclosed lists.

Six DDD alterations are made. Please note that a revision of the DDDs for the statins has been made. This revision has resulted in a change in the DDDs for five of the substances. The DDDs for lovastatin, pravastatin and fluvastatin have been increased by 50% whereas for atorvastatin and simvastatin the DDDs have been increased by 100%. The increase in the DDDs for the statins is made in order to better reflect the current prescribed doses. Finally, the change in the DDD for desmopressin SL is a correction based on how this formulation is declared.

Updated versions of the ATC index and theGuidelines for ATC classification and DDD assignment, valid from January 2009, will be ready for distribution in January 2009. Please find order form on our website the new editions.

Yours sincerely,

Marit Rønning

Enclosures

ALTERATIONS IN ATC CLASSIFICATION/

CAMBIOS EN LA CLASIFICACIÓN ATC

valid from January 2009/válido desde enero de 2009

sorted according to previous ATC code

ordenados de acuerdo al código ATC anterior

Previous ATC code
Código ATC anterior / ATC level name - English / Nivel ATC - nombre en español / New ATC code
Código ATC nuevo
C01EB12 / tedisamil / tedisamil / C01BD06
C10AX04 / benfluorex / benfluorex / A10BX06
N01AB03 / methoxyflurane / metoxiflurano / N02BG09
N07BA02 / bupropion / bupropion / N06AX12

OTHER ALTERATIONS IN ATC CLASSIFICATION,

i.e. NEW LEVELS (this list includes only new levels assigned in connection with an alteration), DELETED LEVELS AND ALTERED NAMES OF ATC LEVELS

valid from January 2009

sorted according to ATC code

ATC code /

Previous ATC level name

/ New ATC level name or
new ATC level
D03BA02 / clostridiopeptidase / collagenase
D03BA52 / clostridiopeptidase, combinations / collagenase, combinations
M02AB / Capsicum preparations and similar agents / Capsaicin and similar agents
V01AA03 / house dust / house dust mites

OTRAS ALTERACIONES EN LA CLASIFICACIÓN ATC

es decir NIVELES nuevos (esta lista incluye solamente los niveles que han sido modificados), NIVELES SUPRIMIDOS Y CAMBIOS DE NOMBRE DE LOS NIVELES ATC

válido desde enero de 2009

ordenado de acuerdo al código ATC

Código ATC /

Nombre anterior del nivel ATC

/ Nuevo nivel ATC o nuevo nombre del nivel ATC
D03BA02 / clostridiopeptidasa / colagenasa
D03BA52 / clostridiopeptidasa, combinaciones / colagenasa, combinaciones
M02AB / Preparados con cápsicum y agentes similares / Preparados con capsaicina y agentes similares
V01AA03 / polvo ambiental / acaros de polvo ambiental

ALTERATIONS IN DDDs/

CAMBIOS EN LAS DOSIS DIARIAS DEFINIDAS (DDDs)

valid from January 2009/válido desde enero de 2009

ATC code

Código ATC

/ ATC level name - English / Nivel ATC - nombre en español / Previous DDD

DDD anterior

/ New DDD
DDD nueva
C10AA01 / simvastatin / simvastatina / 15 / mg / O / 30 / mg / O
C10AA02 / lovastatin / lovastatina / 30 / mg / O / 45 / mg / O
C10AA03 / pravastatin / pravastatina / 20 / mg / O / 30 / mg / O
C10AA04 / fluvastatin / fluvastatina / 40 / mg / O / 60 / mg / O
C10AA05 / atorvastatin / atorvastatina / 10 / mg / O / 20 / mg / O
H01BA02 / desmopressin / desmopresina / 0.36 / mg1) / SL / 0.24 / mg1) / SL

1) Base