News summary
BPC news News
in brief
Pharmacists should monitor OTC sales It
is in the public interest for pharmacists to record the details of consumers
to whom they sell over-the-counter medicines, argue researchers....[more]
Scottish role for pharmacists in cardiovascular
disease Pharmacists have a pivotal role in the prevention of
cardiovascular disease and the safe delivery of clinically effective cardiovascular
services....[more]
Statutory pharmacy representation needed in new
NHS, says PSNC Community pharmacy contractors will still need
to be represented by a statutory body after the forthcoming reorganisation
of the National Health Service in England, the Pharmaceutical Services
Negotiating Committee believes...[more]
Leeds medication review research extended to
homes A multidisciplinary research group based at the University
of Leeds has been awarded £141,000 to extend a study of medication
review by pharmacists...[more]
NICE approves fludarabine; taxane guidance unchanged
Oral fludarabine should be recommended as second line therapy
for patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), says the
National Institute for Clinical Excellence in guidance issued this week...[more]
Passive smoking associated with adult asthma
Finnish researchers have shown that passive smoking plays a
role in the development of adult asthma...[more]
UK COPD patients fare worse than other Europeans
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
in the United Kingdom experience a greater degree of symptom severity
than patients in other European countries, according to the results of
a survey...[more]
Use of bisphosphonates differentiated Alendronate
and risedronate are reasonable choices for first-line bisphosphonate treatment
of osteoporosis, according to the latest issue of Drug and Therapeutics
Bulletin...[more]
Dosulepin link with ischaemic heart disease Patients
who have taken the tricyclic antidepressant dosulepin (dothiepin) are
at increased risk of ischaemic heart disease, a new study shows...[more]
Irbesartan renoprotective in patients with diabetes
The angiotensin receptor II antagonist irbesartan is effective
in slowing the progression of nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes,
two new studies show...[more]
No evidence to support the use of single vaccines
for measles, mumps and rubella There is no research evidence
available on the safety and effectiveness of giving separate measles,
mumps and rubella vaccines, according to the authors of a review in Archives
of Disease in Childhood...[more]
Patients not warned about side effects of psychiatric
drugs Patients are often not warned about the side effects
of psychiatric drugs prescribed by their doctors, says the mental health
charity Mind...[more]
Novartis a discredit to the industry Novartis
has brought discredit on, and reduced confidence in, the pharmaceutical
industry, the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority has ruled...[more]
MP visits Codicote pharmacy Falconer’s
Chemist, at Codicote, Hertfordshire, was recently visited by Barbara Follett,
Member of Parliament for Stevenage...[more]
BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE NEWS
Pharmacists asked for examples of innovative
practice The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health
has asked pharmacists to send her examples of innovative practice to help
her understand how the profession is responding to the challenges set
out by the Government...[more]
Microbiologist issues a warning When
talking about the problems of hospital acquired infection, the spotlight
always falls on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus...[more]
Princess praises pharmacists Pharmacists
were warmly praised by the Princess Royal during her address to the British
Pharmaceutical Conference in Glasgow on 25 September...[more]
Launch of diabetes screening guidance Guidance
on setting up diabetes screening services was launched by the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society at the British Pharmaceutical Conference...[more]
New College of Pharmacy Practice chief executive
Ian Simpson, FRPharmS, former district pharmaceutical officer
for Oxfordshire, has been appointed chief executive of the College of
Pharmacy Practice...[more]
Primary care pharmacy “not the way forward”
Having pharmacists working in primary care is not the way forward,
the chief pharmaceutical officer for Scotland, Bill Scott, believes. Such
pharmacists would be better employed working in community pharmacies,
he feels...[more]
NEWS IN BRIEF
New Ph Eur published The 4th edition
of the European Pharmacopoeia has been published and will supersede the
3rd edition on 1 January 2002.
New features of the pharmacopoeia include: a simpler style; new general
monographs on various types of substances and preparations; the elimination
of many hazardous reagents from pharmacopoeial tests; and the avoidance
of animal tests. In addition, many monographs have been revised.
The European Pharmacopoeia is available in book and CD-ROM form and an
online version is being developed.
Merec Briefing update The latest issue
of the Merec Briefing reviews the diagnosis and treatment
of heart failure. It provides information on national targets for heart
failure, and on how heart failure should be managed.
The briefing concludes that protocols for the management of heart failure
should ensure that treatment proven to improve prognosis is targeted to
appropriate patients (2001;15:1).
Bromley pharmacies meet primary care trust standards
Twenty-two of the 57 community pharmacies contracted to Bromley Health
Authority have met the standards set under a accreditation scheme introduced
by Bromley Primary Care Trust.
Accreditation under the scheme takes a year and covers the quality of
pharmacy premises, access to pharmaceutical services, professional services,
staff training, audit, health promotion and customer responsiveness.
New Welsh NSF A national service framework
for children’s health services in Wales is to be developed. Development
will entail close co-operation between the Welsh Assembly and the Department
of Health to ensure that common principles are established. The NSF will
cover services from birth until 18 years of age.
BPC attendance More than 1,000 participants
attended the 2001 British Pharmaceutical Conference. A total of 980 people
booked places before the conference started and a further 25 to 30 registered
on-site.
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