News

Museum treasures: Lapis judaicus, from the Burges Collection of materia medica, 1745–1807

An ancient treatment for urinary disorders.…

RPS calls on government to do more to tackle health inequalities

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has co-signed a letter to prime minister Boris Johnson outlining why a cross-government strategy would strengthen the new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, due to launch on 1 October 2021.…

Topical corticosteroids to come with warning about withdrawal effects following MHRA review

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says withdrawal symptoms from topical corticosteroids include skin redness, burning and/or itchiness, which may be followed by skin peeling.…

Majority of pharmacies can expect to receive first COVID-19 funding payments from October 2021

Simon Dukes, chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, has said that the “overwhelming majority” of community pharmacy contractors will be paid their claim for costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in full.…

Pharmacy should be represented in new NHS structures, say primary care bodies

A letter written to the parliamentary committee scrutinising the Health and Care Bill calls on new 'integrated care boards' to include formalised roles for all types of primary care professions, not just GPs.…

Boots flu vaccination appointment bookings increase almost 70% year-on-year

Bookings for flu vaccinations at Boots stores increased by 67% between 1 July 2021 and 6 September 2021, when compared with the same time period in 2020.…

Opioid prescribing for patients waiting for hip and knee surgery increased by 40% during pandemic

A surge in opioid prescribing for pre-operative pain has been attributed to longer wait times for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.…

COVID-19 booster jabs to be offered from late September 2021, says health secretary

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advises that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines are used as a booster, irrespective of which product was used for the first and second vaccinations.…

Tocilizumab or sarilumab are equally suitable for treatment of COVID-19, new advice says

The advice comes as the government warns of shortages of tocilizumab.…

Monoclonal antibody treatment service to begin for hospitalised COVID-19 patients in October 2021

Exclusive: Patients in hospital in England with COVID-19, and later in the community, could start receiving neutralising monoclonal antibodies as a treatment for the disease by early October 2021.…