News summary
News in brief
PCTs asked to integrate pharmacy into their local clinical governance
plans Primary care trusts in England have been asked to start
integrating community pharmacy into their local clinical governance arrangements
even though this is not yet part of pharmacy's terms of service...[more]
Many more POM-to-P switches expected soon
A drive to increase the number of POM-to-P switches currently exists,
a Management Forum meeting was told in London on 21 January...[more]
Discharge information needs to be improved to
prevent prescribing errors Information transfer between secondary
and primary care needs to be improved to prevent drug errors...[more]
NICE guidance will be paramount Guidance
issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence for England and
Wales will override any guidance issued by professional bodies for their
members, the Department of Health says...[more]
PSNC supports withdrawal of compliance aids The
Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee says that it supports the
stance being taken by pharmacies that are withdrawing monitored dosage
systems unless there is appropriate payment for the service...[more]
Animals in scientific procedures A
committee set up by the House of Lords is currently conducting an inquiry
on issues relating to animal experimentation...[more]
Technicians consult on code of conduct The
Association of Pharmacy Technicians is consulting about a new code of
conduct ahead of any move to register pharmacy technicians...[more]
Modafinil improves the fatigue of multiple sclerosis
Modafinil (Provigil), a central nervous system stimulant used
to treat narcolepsy, improves fatigue and is well tolerated in patients
with multiple sclerosis (MS), say researchers...[more]
TV programme was unfair to pharmacist, says BSC
Granada Television's Tonight with Trevor McDonald programme
on pharmacists who broke the rules governing the supply of emergency contraception
was unfair to one of the pharmacies included in the broadcast...[more]
PSNC to rethink the organisation of local pharmaceutical
committees Local pharmaceutical committees are to be restructured
better to reflect the needs of community pharmacies in the new National
Health Service health authority structure...[more]
Pharmacy opens doors every day for 50 years Associated
Chemists (Wicker) Ltd has been open every day since 21 January 1952...[more]
Tyneside Sunday methadone dispensing scheme successful
Pharmacists in South Tyneside have been awarded funding to
provide supervised methadone dispensing on Sundays and bank holidays...[more]
Minister opens new gene laboratory at London
University School of Pharmacy A new research laboratory dedicated
to the development of novel cancer treatments using gene targeting technology
has been opened at the School of Pharmacy, University of London, by the
Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury...[more]
People turn to pharmacies more The
number of people who turn to community pharmacies for help when they are
ill has risen by over a quarter in 10 years...[more]
Dispensing doctors alarmed about impact of OFT
view on rural areas Dispensing doctors are concerned that the
Office of Fair Trading's inquiry into the pharmacy market will jeopardise
an agreement between doctors and pharmacists to stabilise arrangements
for dispensing in rural areas and market towns...[more]
Animal medicines inquiry starts An
inquiry into the pricing and supply of animal medicines has been launched
by the Competition Commission...[more]
No benefit from vasodilators in peripheral artery
disease, says DTB Peripheral vasodilators offer no useful benefit
in peripheral arterial disease, according to the Drug and Therapeutics
Bulletin...[more]
Air travel research at risk Research
into the link between deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and air travel is at
risk because of financial pressure on the airline industry, a conference
was told this week...[more]
New £3.5m centre opens to boost drug research
in Northern Ireland A £3.5m purpose-built research centre
designed to underpin Northern Ireland's pharmaceutical development base
was officially opened at Queen's University Belfast on 16 January...[more]
New interferon is rationed in US Schering-Plough
is to ration access to its new interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis
C in the United States following unprecedented demand. However, supplies
in the United Kingdom are unaffected...[more]
NEWS IN BRIEF
NHS Direct satisfies
NHS Direct, has achieved a high level of customer satisfaction and a good
safety record, says the National Audit Office in a report published this
week. Pharmacists interested in joining NHS Direct or NHS 24 "guardian
groups" (PJ, 19 January, p76) can look at this PDF*
file (20K).
Latest safety update for Zyban The
latest safety update for amfebutamone (Zyban) has been issued by the Medicines
Control Agency. It says that 6,975 suspected adverse reactions have been
reported via the yellow card scheme between the drug's launch in June
2000 and 10 January this year. All are recognised reactions listed in
the summary of product characteristics and patient information leaflet.
Fatal outcomes have been reported in 57 cases. No change in the frequency
of the most common suspected adverse reactions has occurred since the
last safety update
(PJ, 13 October 2001, p496). The incidence of dose-related risk
of seizure remains the same at 0.1 per cent.
Deaths related to cerivastatin rise
Revised data show that the number of deaths associated with the use of
Bayer's cholesterol-lowering drug cerivastatin (Lipobay) has increased
from 52 to approximately 100. The increase is due to spontaneous reports
of adverse effects reported to Bayer following the withdrawal of the drug
last year.
Fortification with folic acid and
vitamin B12 beneficial
Researchers have suggested that there would be greater benefits for disease
prevention if vitamin B12 is included with folic acid in any
future fortification programme introduced in the United Kingdom. The researchers
investigated the association between folic acid, vitamin B12,
and homocysteine levels in a group of 53 healthy men and women. They conclude
that fortification with both supplements, rather than folic acid alone,
is likely to be more effective at lowering homocysteine levels, with potential
benefits for reduction of risk of vascular disease (Lancet 2002;359:227).
MeReC Extra update
The latest issue of MeReC Extra (dated December 2001) considers
the management of early withdrawal of drugs from the market. It raises
points that should be considered when developing local policies and warns
that decisions should be made at area prescribing committee level to ensure
consistency in approach.
Zinc promotes
growth of children with sickle cell disease Children with sickle
cell disease (SCD) have increased rates of growth after supplementation
with zinc, a new study shows. Researchers conducted a randomised, placebo-controlled
trial and found that the height and weight of children with SCD assigned
to receive zinc supplementation increased more than those for children
given placebo (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;75:300).
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