The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 pp623-652 No 7428
25 November 2006

Jobs and Classified advertising

Leading Article   624

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Protect and improve 624
That the processes undertaken by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in reaching its decision over treatment for early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are likely to be scrutinised in a judicial review may be welcomed by patients and their carers. Whatever the outcome, it must not be used to undermine the NICE process in its totality which, although far from perfect, is preferable to the free-for-all that existed before the institute was founded
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Duping innocent patients for profit 624
A report published this week by academics at the University of London School of Pharmacy and supported by Pfizer suggests, among many other points, that parallel importing could be a route for counterfeit medicines to enter the supply chain
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News & Features   625-632

News summary  625-631
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Headlines   PDF (170K)

Lead stories
-Pharmacy contributes to successful matron pilot
-NICE appraisal of Alzheimer's drugs may be target of judicial review
-Oncology drugs accepted by SMC
-Stockpile zanamivir in case of pandemic, say experts
-Bulk of enhanced services made up of four types
-No conclusive evidence for SAPs
-Investing in clinical pharmacy services saves lives
-Stronger legal penalties needed to protect against drug counterfeiters

Raising awareness of mouth cancer risks 632
Pharmacists in Cornwall last week took part in a scheme to raise awareness about the risk factors for mouth cancer. Tom Moberly reports
PJ   2006;277:632
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Products   633

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Products   633
-New medicines
-SPC changes
-Discontinued products
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Drug alert   633
-Herceptin injection
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Broad Spectrum   634

Why we think the Society should split 634
By John Gentle and Graham Phillips
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Letters   635-637

-Section 60 Order
-Supermarket pharmacy
-Patient safety
-Controlled drugs
-Drug misuse
-The profession
-The Council
-The Society
-Community pharmacy
PJ   2006;277:635-637
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Agenda for 2006   638

Agenda articles

Dealing with the EU counterfeit threat 638
By David Taylor
Medicines counterfeiting is a global threat to public health. This is most obvious in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia; Europe, by contrast, is relatively secure. EU citizens can normally be confident that medicines supplied by pharmacists will be safe and effective. As yet there have been no recorded deaths resulting from medicines counterfeiting in the EU, albeit that if these were to occur they may be difficult to identify
PJ   2006;277:638
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Articles   639-642, 647

Physician-assisted suicide
Pharmacy and assisted suicide: what can be learnt from experience abroad? 639-640
In the second of two articles, Colin Meek reflects on experiences abroad and explores the issues that will face pharmacists in their practice if physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia were to become legalised in the UK
PJ   2006;277:639-640
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What evidence there is for the drug treatment of Huntington's disease 641-642
Elizabeth Bevan and Carol Paton searched Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library for evidence up to September 2006 and, in this article, they review the literature on the pharmacological management of chorea and the psychiatric co-morbidity in patients with Huntington's disease
PJ   2006;277:641-642
Summary   PDF (60K)

Why the latest edition of Martindale is a must-have for pharmacists 647
The 35th edition of ‘Martindale: the complete drug reference’ is published next week. The editor, Sean Sweetman, highlights its new features
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Continuing Professional Development (CPD)   643-646

Recent articles

Understanding Alzheimer's disease   643-646
It has been 100 years since the features of Alzheimer’s disease were first described. Since then our understanding of it has increased but there is still no cure. In this article, Alan Worsley and Andrew Husband outline how the disease is currently managed
PJ   2006;277:643-646
Summary   PDF (90K)

Onlooker   648

PJ   2006;277:648
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Thallium poisoning in fact and in fiction 648
This week’s newspapers have been full of the story of the poisoning of the ex-KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, a critic of Russian Federation president Vladimir Putin. At the time of writing, Mr Litvinenko is in a serious but stable condition in London’s University College Hospital, possibly suffering from the toxic effects of thallium
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Vexed question of the geographical origins of the meat-filled pasty 648
In the running of a pharmacy, particularly when it comes to locum work in an emergency, the taking of snacks and meals may present problems
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How illegal chemistry has been causing problems down on the farm 648
We have become accustomed to hearing of large quantities of some chemicals intended for use as a fertiliser (eg, ammonium nitrate) being diverted to nefarious uses by terrorist organisations for the manufacture of weapons. Chemicals legitimately employed in farming have been available with ease for those who would misuse them, and in considerable quantities
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New CD section on Society website 649
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Pocket version of Stockley now available 649
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Ayrshire branch celebrates golden jubilee 649
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Inspector's talk in Norwich 649
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Reminder: technicians must pay fees by 31 December 649
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The collection of retention fees for 2007 650
As the collection of pharmacists' retention fees for 2007 kicks off, Andrew Gardner, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's head of registration, reviews the fee collection exercise and explains the benefits of paying the fee online
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Law and Ethics Bulletin 2001 to present
Preventing NHS fraud 651
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Homoeopathy and malaria prophylaxis 651
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Methadone oral solution 651
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Obituaries & tributes 652

Obituaries
-Goodhew
-King
-Neal

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Diary
Diary / Health events

Branch meetings 652
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Society meetings 652
-Residential course: Pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic data analysis (24-28 May 2007)
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Future events 633
-Prediabetes congress (25-28 April 2007)
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Resources 633
-Delirium management
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Wants 633
-Call for abstracts
-Tuberculosis DOT
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Corrections 633
-National board elections
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