News summary
Pharmacists are "disenfranchised"
by medical domination of LHCCs Community pharmacists in Scotland
are currently disenfranchised because of the medical domination of local
health care co-operatives (LHCCs), according to Scotland's chief pharmaceutical
officer, Bill Scott...[more]
Jeannette Howe to receive CPP's Schering Award
this year Jeannette Howe, deputy chief pharmacist at the Department
of Health, is to be presented with the College of Pharmacy Practice's
annual Schering award...[more]
Moss wins English prison contract Moss
Pharmacy has won its first contract to supply pharmaceutical services
to a prison in England. A one-year contract with HM Prison Hull will start
in April...[more]
LPS helpline launched The National
Pharmaceutical Association launched a helpline to answer queries about
local pharmaceutical services (LPS) this week...[more]
NICE approves use of trastuzumab for HER2 positive
advanced breast cancer Trastuzumab (Herceptin) should be used
to treat women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive
advanced breast cancer, according to National Institute for Clinical Excellence
guidance...[more]
Breast cancer screening does reduce mortality,
WHO says Screening for breast cancer using mammography does
reduce mortality, experts have concluded...[more]
Letrozole better tolerated than anastrozole in
advanced cancer Letrozole (Femara) is better tolerated than
anastrozole (Arimidex) by patients with advanced breast cancer, a study
shows...[more]
Pharmacy praised in Scottish cancer services
reports Pharmacists and pharmacy services are praised in two
reports on cancer services published by the Clinical Standards Board for
Scotland this week...[more]
Guild settles for 3.6 per cent rise and a boost
for preregistration trainees Hospital pharmacists working in
the National Health Service will receive a 3.6 per cent pay rise following
settlement of the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists' pay claim for 2002–03...[more]
Pharmacist numbers set to grow by 12 per cent
in five years The pharmacy workforce in the National Health
Service and the private sector will have grown by 12 per cent over 1998
figures by next year, the Department of Health estimates...[more]
CPD is effective but does it offer value for
money for professionals? Inadequate evidence exists for the
cost-effectiveness of continuing professional development, according to
researchers from the United Kingdom and United States...[more]
Call for uniformity in packaging The
author of a letter to the BMJ calls for uniformity in the design
of drug packaging to reduce confusion for patients...[more]
Hospital pharmacy department wins top IT award
for automated dispensing Wirral Hospital NHS Trust has won
top prize in the prestigious 2002 Healthcare Information Technology Effectiveness
awards for an evaluation of an automated dispensing system at the trust...[more]
UniChem changes sides in ETP pilots UniChem
announced this week that it has joined the Flexiscript consortium for
the electronic transfer of prescriptions...[more]
Market growth sees UniChem profits rise Alliance
UniChem Plc reported an 18 per cent increase in pre-tax profits on 20
March, saying that health care markets in Europe were continuing in a
long-term trend of strong inherent growth...[more]
SSL sells 21 brands for £13.5m SSL
International has sold the rights to 21 non-prescription medicines to
Thornton & Ross for £13.5m. SSL will make a loss of £22m
on the deal after accounting for goodwill...[more]
Dr Reddy's buys contract company Indian
pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy's has bought BMS Laboratories and its
subsidiary Meridian Healthcare for more than £9m...[more]
The meaning of LIFE "Losartan is not
just as good as, but is better than, atenolol in stroke prevention," said
Professor Gareth Beevers, City Hospital, Birmingham, this week...[more]
Dangers of drug-driving need to be publicised
The British Medical Association is calling for a campaign to
increase public awareness about the impact of both legal and illegal drugs
on a person's ability to drive...[more]
Supermarket "criticised" for patient group direction
A supermarket pharmacy faced criticism in the national media
last weekend for being part of a patient group direction pilot scheme
to supply emergency hormonal contraception...[more]
Good and bad news for new OTC testing systems
A testing kit for chlamydia infection was made available by
mail-order this week. At the same time a genetics watchdog called for
a home genetic testing kit to be withdrawn...[more]
Elderly patients suffer more bleeding ulcers
now because of drug changes Hospital admission rates for bleeding
peptic ulcers among elderly patients increased throughout the past decade
despite changes in drug treatment, a study published in Gut shows...[more]
More awareness of NRT needed Research
conducted by the British Heart Foundation shows low awareness about nicotine
replacement therapy (NRT) among Asian populations...[more]
New BNF to be published next week The
43rd edition of the British National Formulary is to be published next
week and distributed by the United Kingdom health departments to National
Health Service hospitals, general practitioners and community pharmacies...[more]
Cannabis use can cause lasting memory problems
Memory problems experienced by long-term, heavy users of cannabis
persist beyond the period of intoxication, researchers from the United
States and Australia confirm...[more]
Down grading of cannabis offences to come soon?
The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs has cleared the
way for the Home Secretary (David Blunkett) to downgrade cannabis to a
Class C drug...[more]
Italy suspends sibutramine licence A
decision by the Italian ministry of health to suspend the marketing authorisation
for products containing sibutramine has led to concern over the drug's
safety...[more]
Kava withdrawal should continue The
voluntary withdrawal from sale of products containing Kava kava should
continue, the Medicines Control Agency says in its latest statement on
the subject...[more]
Diabetes patients cost double Patients
with type 2 diabetes cost the National Health Service twice the national
average per person, according to data presented at the Diabetes UK conference
last week...[more]
Ramipril prevents stroke Data showing
that ramipril reduces the incidence of stroke in high-risk patients are
published in the BMJ...[more]
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