News summary
Control of entry will not apply
to local pharmaceutical services contracts Local pharmaceutical
services pilot schemes will not be governed by National Health Service
rules covering the control of entry into contracts or the terms of service
for pharmacy contractors...[more]
Transformation for Scottish NHS A
central role for local primary care teams in transforming the National
Health Service in Scotland was announced last week...[more]
Gear up for more POM-to-P switches Medicines
will be available over the counter through pharmacies more quickly under
a new reclassification process launched on 1 May...[more]
Importers can repack products Trade
mark holders cannot legitimately object to products being repackaged by
parallel importers if that makes it impossible for importers to market
their goods, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled...[more]
Pharmacists best at treating head lice Ignorance
among community health professionals of how to manage head lice is hampering
control of the problem...[more]
Too few trainees in hospital pharmacy Vacancies
for hospital pharmacists are falling, but there are more vacant posts
than there are hospital pharmacists in training...[more]
NPA to challenge fatal accident inquiry finding
A Scottish fatal accident inquiry finding that blames a pharmacist
for a patient's death is to be challenged by judicial review...[more]
Interferon beta-1b every other day more effective
than weekly interferon beta-1a Interferon beta-1b administered
every other day is more effective than weekly interferon beta-1a for multiple
sclerosis (MS), researchers say...[more]
Serono still claims benefits for Rebif over Avonex
Further data from a head-to-head study comparing two brands
of interferon beta-1a in multiple sclerosis indicate that patients treated
with Rebif, manufactured by Serono (the company that conducted the study),
are more likely to remain relapse free than patients treated with Avonex...[more]
Mycophenolate halts renal decline in transplant
patients Substituting mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) for
ciclosporin in kidney transplant patients can halt deteriorating kidney
function, a new study shows...[more]
Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance
The latest edition of Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance
(2002;28:1-6) has been published by the Medicines Control Agency and Committee
on Safety of Medicines...[more]
Pet owners should be aware of range of
outlets for veterinary medicines Veterinary surgeons should
make customers aware that they can obtain medicines on prescription from
other sources such as pharmacies, according to the Competition Commission,
which is conducting an investigation into the supply of prescription only
veterinary medicines...[more]
Molecular evidence discovered for trastuzumab’s
cardiotoxicity Research published in Nature Medicine this
week reveals direct molecular evidence that trastuzumab (Herceptin) causes
cardiomyopathy...[more]
New combination psoriasis treatment A
combination preparation containing calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate,
Dovobet ointment, has been launched this week by Leo Pharmaceuticals for
the treatment of psoriasis...[more]
H pylori breath test effective A
breath test for Helicobacter pylori infection is as effective as
endoscopy and causes less distress for patients, a study shows...[more]
Alosetron could be reintroduced A
United States Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended
that GlaxoSmithKline be allowed to reintroduce alosetron (Lotronex), for
irritable bowel syndrome, providing there are restrictions on who can
prescribe it, and patients are followed up...[more]
Gene study seeks 500,000 volunteers Funding
of £45m has been announced for a study into the role of genes and
the environment in health and disease...[more]
Interruptions to HIV treatment might enhance
viral replication A study published in Nature has placed
a question mark over the practice of structured treatment interruptions,
or drug holidays, in patients infected with HIV...[more]
WHO takes steps to make HIV treatment more accessible
The World Health Organization has issued guidelines for the
treatment of HIV/AIDS in poor countries...[more]
Hand gels fail microbial efficacy test Researchers
who tested 10 alcohol-based hand gels found none met the European standard
by which microbial efficacy is measured...[more]
Nucare launches website ...[more]
Numark signs 1,500th shareholder ...[more]
Free stock for Vantage loyalty ...[more]
Fatal injection doctors arrested ...[more]
Research and Development
Oral ganciclovir prodrug effective in treatment
of cytomegalovirus retinitis An oral prodrug of ganciclovir,
valganciclovir (Valcyte), appears to be as effective as intravenous ganciclovir
for initial treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS,
a new study shows...[more]
New immunosuppressant reduces rejection in transplant
patients A new immunosuppressant, everolimus (Certican), has
been shown to reduce acute rejection and graft vasculopathy following
heart transplantation...[more]
Oral cytokine inhibitor effective as anti-inflammatory
agent in rheumatoid arthritis An oral cytokine inhibitor, pralnacasan,
has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in rheumatoid arthritis...[more]
New asthma treatment promising A leukocyte
suppressing anti-inflammatory drug (LSAID) for the treatment of asthma
has shown promising results in a phase II trial...[more]
S-Enantiomer of citalopram effective for depression
Escitalopram, the S-enantiomer of citalopram, is effective
and well tolerated for the treatment of depression, a new study shows...[more]
Plasma protein inhibitor raises HDL Use
of a cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor, JTT-705, in humans
is an effective way to raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, a
new study shows...[more]
Ethical safeguards needed for research in developing
countries Medical research in developing countries funded by
organisations in wealthy countries must be subject to rigorous ethical
safeguards, according to a report published by the Nuffield Council on
Bioethics...[more]
Vitamin C transporter deficiency leads to death
in newborn mice Mice lacking the vitamin C transporter SVCT2
die within minutes of birth, American researchers have found. This may
have important implications for human health, they say...[more]
Peptide protects against malaria A
peptide, derG, has been found to provide 100 per cent protection against
malaria infection in a mouse model...[more]
New oxazolidinone shows potential AstraZeneca's
new antimicrobial oxazolidinone, AZD2563, shows potential for use in combination
with other antibiotics, new data shows...[more]
Factor Xa inhibitor well tolerated DX-9065a,
an anticoagulant that selectively and reversibly inhibits factor Xa, is
well tolerated in patients with stable coronary artery disease, researchers
report...[more]
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