A clinical trial to examine the effects of flurbiprofen lozenges in sore throat is being run through community pharmacies. The study is being carried out by Boots Healthcare International and Crookes Healthcare Ltd at branches of Boots the Chemists.
Ms Sharon Buckle (head of corporate affairs, Crookes) told The Journal on January 19 that the trial had begun on January 6 and was planned to be completed by the end of the current sore throat season.
Leaflets available in participating branches of Boots give a contact telephone number for patients interested in taking part in the trial. Although unable to comment on the details of the methodology, Ms Buckle confirmed that patients were registered as trial participants by telephone and, following health checks, could obtain a course of flurbiprofen from the pharmacy. Up to 100 branches in the UK were participating. She said that the trial had been approved by both the Medicines Control Agency and the ethics committee of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
Ms Buckle added: "This is an innovative methodology for the assessment of drug safety, utilising the expertise of the pharmacist. If successful, the trial will be very good news for pharmacists."
Flurbiprofen (Strefen) lozenges were launched in October as a prescription-only medicine. They are licensed for the symptomatic relief of sore throat. At the time, Dr David Lott of Crookes Healthcare told The Journal that he believed it would be appropriate to classify the lozenges as a pharmacy-only medicine (PJ 1999;263:563).