Patient information leaflet MeGa study

The Medicine Gaps (MeGa) study

Study aim

• To understand gaps in treatment with two types of medicines that are to be taken every day:
  • oral anticoagulants (clot-preventing agents, see below in section 1)
  • statins (cholesterol-lowering agents, see below in section 2)
• Having many missed doses or taking more tablets than needed can affect your health and the NHS.  

Approvals in place

• Two NHS organisations have designed this study. No external or private partner is involved.
• The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Health Research Authority have approved the study. It can proceed without patient consent due to public benefit. It is still our duty to inform you.
• You will only be contacted if your GP has agreed to share their data.

Study details

• Non-traceable information will be used. The researchers will not be able to identify any patient from the data.
  • Specific repeat prescription, clinical and demographic data from Leeds GP databases will be copied securely to the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for analysis.
• All information will be deleted one year after first use. Anonymised summary reports will be published.

Your options

Your data has the power to improve patient care. No action is required.

If you are not happy to be included, you can:

• Ask your GP to record an objection for MeGa study, or
• Remove your participation from all research and planning (national data opt-out through the NHS app, online, by phone or post).

Section 1 Oral anticoagulant medicines included in this work: 

1. apixaban (ELIQUIS)
2. dabigatran (PRADAXA)
3. edoxaban (LIXIANA)
4. rivaroxaban (XARELTO)

Section 2 Cholesterol-lowering medicines included in this work: 

1. atorvastatin (LIPITOR)
2. fluvastatin (LESCOL)
3. pravastatin (LIPOSTAT)
4. rosuvastatin (CRESTOR)
5. simvastatin (ZOCOR)
6. combined with other medicine (CHOLIB, INEGY)