News summary
News in brief
Fee per item drops 10p Pharmacy contractors in England and
Wales are faced with an immediate decrease in the professional fee per
prescription item from 97.5p to 87.4p...[more]
PSNC prepares evidence for control of entry inquiry
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee is to prepare
evidence for the Office of Fair Trading inquiry to show the effect that
removal of control of entry would have on the existing pharmacy network
and the dangers this would bring to the delivery of accessible health
care to patients...[more]
Small rise in discount clawback The
average discount clawback for pharmacy contractors in England and Wales
is to rise slightly from 11.01 to 11.28 per cent of the standard discount
rated net ingredient cost (SDR NIC)...[more]
New diabetes care guidelines in Scotland New
guidelines on the management of diabetes have been launched by the Scottish
Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)...[more]
Best triptans for migraine identified All
oral triptans are effective for treating migraine but the highest likelihood
of successful treatment is found with certain doses of rizatriptan (Maxalt),
eletriptan (not yet available in the United Kingdom) and almotriptan (Almogran),
according to the results of a meta-analysis...[more]
Aspirin effective as warfarin for stroke prevention
Aspirin is as effective as warfarin in preventing recurrent
strokes in most patients, researchers say...[more]
Nicorandil of benefit in angina The
potassium-channel activator nicorandil (Ikorel) shows cardioprotective
benefits, according to results of a new study...[more]
Safety update for epoetin alfa The
Medicines Control Agency has been made aware of 40 cases of confirmed
or suspected pure red cell aplasia in patients with chronic renal failure
treated with epoetin alfa (Eprex)...[more]
Society seeks clarity on NHS Bill A
broad welcome has been given by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to the
National Health Service and Health Care Professions Bill published last
week (November 17)...[more]
Adverse events may be predicted by pharmacogenomics
Drug therapy based on the genetic make-up of individuals might
result in a clinically important reduction in adverse events, researchers
suggest...[more]
Interferon alfa beneficial in hepatitis C Treatment
of acute hepatitis C with interferon alfa-2b prevents chronic infection,
say researchers, but the trial has been criticised because a third of
patients may recover anyway without treatment...[more]
Encourage statin patients to report muscle weakness
Patients taking statins should be educated about the possibility
of myopathies and encouraged to report any unexplained muscle pains or
weakness, say researchers...[more]
Compliance rates better for quetiapine than other
atypicals Patients receiving antipsychotic therapy for the
first time who are prescribed quetiapine (Seroquel) are more likely to
continue with their treatment than if they are prescribed other atypical
antipsychotics, say researchers...[more]
Campus Pharmacy wins UniChem Award Campus
Pharmacy at the University of Stirling and Noel Wicks, one of its joint
owners, were named overall winners of the UniChem Great Business Awards
competition during a gala dinner held on 16 November...[more]
Health authorities gain new power over contractors
Health authorities get new disciplinary powers over pharmacy,
medical, dental and optical contractors on 1 December...[more]
Gehe faces inquiry into Irish acquisition Gehe's
acquisition the 30-pharmacy Unicare chain in the Irish Republic may be
referred to the country's Competition Authority...[more]
GMC drops MMR disciplinary case The
General Medical Council has dropped misconduct proceedings against Dr
Peter Mansfield, a GP who was subject to a complaint that immunising children
against measles, mumps and rubella using single vaccines, rather than
the combined MMR vaccine could be professional misconduct...[more]
"Square" admits two to fellowship Dr
Donald Straughan, former Wellcome professor of pharmacology at the School
of Pharmacy, University of London, and Christopher Barrett, former chief
pharmacist at the London Hospital, have been made fellows of the School
of Pharmacy...[more]
Universities start joint training project Two
south coast universities have been given £175,000 by the Department
of Health to look at ways of educating health care professionals together...[more]
Call for mucolytics for COPD on NHS The
National Health Service should consider making mucolytic therapy reimbursable
on prescription, according to the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin...[more]
Braille medicine packs win awards Braille
packaging for medicines sold by the Co-operative group have won two awards
recently...[more]
Nurse prescribing guidance launched Guidance
for nurse prescribers on maintaining competencies in prescribing has been
launched by the National Prescribing Centre...[more]
One-fifth of GPs in new contracts Nearly
one-fifth of general practitioners in England are now working in personal
medical services contracts, according to figures released by the Minister
of State for Health (John Hutton) on 16 November...[more]
NEWS IN BRIEF
Merec Extra update The
latest issue (number 2) of Merec Extra reviews the evidence for
glucosamine, a nutritional supplement, in reducing the progression and
improving the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
The briefing concludes: "It is too early
to claim that glucosamine reduces disease progression." However, it states
that current evidence suggests glucosamine may have some effect on symptoms
of osteoarthritis, although most of the studies have been short and of
poor quality (2001;2).
Warning label
warning Nine out of 10 people do not know how long they can
keep an over-the-counter pack of paracetamol tablets before the product
expires and three in 10 do not realise that packs include expiry dates,
according to a telephone survey of 1,000 adults in England conducted by
MARKEM Sytems Ltd.
Lloyds TV adverts
Lloydspharmacy has started a national television advertising campaign
concentrating on the role of its pharmacists and its prescription collection
and delivery services. The campaign follows successful regional advertising
last year.
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