The Pharmaceutical Journal,
November 18, 2000

Back issues

Comment

An Onlooker's Notebook   740

• After the flood
• Rights and wrongs
• Bugs in ballast

Leading Articles   741

• Don't panic!

News   742-745

• Price promotion will impede extended self-medication, court hears 742
• Society exhibits at millennium medicine festival 742
• WHO proposes .health web names 742
• Court pressure threatens fair RPM hearing 742
• Hammersmith APU opened 743
• Pharmacy-led project wins award 743
• The Society and vulnerable people 743
• US FDA rejects OTC omeprazole proposal 743
• Simple precautions can reduce errors 744
• No hope for increased hospital pay offer 744
• Global diabetes survey under way 744
• £3m investment in BPD 744
• Locum insurance 744
• Global sum up 3 per cent; fees static 745
• Parliamentary complementary medicines meeting 745
• PSNC concerned over new doctor dispensing threat 745
• More money for health authorities 745

Clinical Pharmacy   746-748

• Statins reduce dementia risk, researchers say 746
• Benefit seen with niacin-statin combination 746
• Cholesterol reported to hinder aspirin 746
• New indicator for heart disease suggested 746
• Cancer test could help target treatment to responders, study shows 747
• Improved response rates reported for DMARD combination 747
• Early detection of schizophrenia 747
• Fear of ACE inhibitor side effects might be unjustified 748
• Safety concerns for etanercept 748
• CSM reassurance on phenylpropanolamine 748

The Society   749-751

• Society prioritises budget to meet challenge of pharmacy strategy 749
• Obituaries 749
• Statutory Committee
  • Steroids offences and theft lead to striking-off order 750
  • Pharmacist struck off for motoring offences 750
  • Reprimand 750
  • Reprimand for lack of personal control 751
  • Name removed for fraudulent claims 751

Broad Spectrum   752

• A tale of two pharmacies 752

Letters to the Editor   753-755

• NHS plan
  • Pace of change too rapid 753
• Phenylpropanolamine
  • Incredulous decision 753
• The Society
  • Finance concern 754
• Community pharmacy
  • Employ nurses 754
  • Post office partnerships 754
• Prescription charges
  • Wasted time 754
• Emergency contraception
  • Right to refuse 754
• Pharmaceutical care
  • Opportunity 754
• Group protocols
  • Website continuing 755
• The Journal
  • Most impressive 755
  • Editorial control 755
  • Protest 755

Original Papers   756-763

• Errors in prescribing, dispensing and administration of carbamazepine: a case report and analysis (C. Mack et al) 756-758
• Is glucosamine an effective treatment for osteoarthritis? A meta-analysis (S. B. Kayne et al) 759-763

• Plenary session
  • Tackling coronary heart disease 764
  • Take up the cancer challenge 764
  • Mental health medicines - a big issue 765
  • Case studies in asthma and COPD 765
• Astra Zeneca award lecture 766

Forum   767-768

• Drug therapy in HIV infection 767-768

Products   769

• Prescription products
  • Nolvadex tablets 769
  • Novartis product transfers 769
  • Easi-Breathe licensing change 769
  • Magnesium sulphate injection 769
• Counter medicines
  • Brulidine cream 769
  • Zantac 75 tablets 769
• Recall
  • Sodium chloride IV infusion 769
• Miscellany
  • Fresenius Kabi products 769
  • Uvistat sun creams 769
  • Anticoagulation PILs 769
  • Retar Dex oral rinse 769
• Price changes 769

Notice-Board   770

• Diary 770
• Future Events 770
• About People 770
• Corrections 770

Front Cover Picture

Our front cover picture draws attention to a report from the recent British Pharmaceutical Conference of a presentation on the evolution of molecular medicine (p766).

Remuneration settled

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee has accepted a 3 per cent increase in the global sum. Professional fees and allowances are to remain unchanged (p745).

Phenylpropanolamine

The Committee on Safety of Medicines says that the evidence for a link between the use, in Britain, of phenylpropanolamine and stroke is weak (p748). Leading article (p741).

Carbamazepine

An original paper this week reports a study of how carbamazepine intoxication can arise from errors in the prescribing, dispensing and administration of the drug (p756). Packaging design was found to be a factor.

Glucosamine

A meta-analysis published this week suggests that there is no evidence that glucosamine provides a long-term cure for osteoarthritis and no evidence that it is safe to take over extended periods (p759).

Antiretroviral therapy

Issues in antiretroviral therapy were discussed at a congress on drug therapy in HIV infection recently. Report (p767).