New Scottish health secretary appointed Michael Matheson moves from his role as net zero, energy and transport cabinet secretary.…
NICE confirms recommendation for NHS use of three COVID-19 treatments Final guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir, sotrovimab and tocilizumab for COVID-19.…
One in three patients taking lithium unaware of toxicity warning signs, finds pharmacy audit Almost a third of patients taking lithium also did not know how to prevent toxicity.…
Progestogen-only pill found to have similar risk of breast cancer to combined hormonal contraception Researchers found that women with any hormonal contraception prescription had a 25% increased risk of breast cancer compared with women with no hormonal contraception prescriptions.…
Survey reveals 9% of people with long-term health conditions cannot afford to collect their prescriptions It was announced on 10 March 2023 that prescription charges in England would rise to £9.65 per item in April 2023.…
Only 12 new antibiotics entered the market in five years, WHO warns in review There are 27 drugs in development that target what the World Health Organization sees as “critical” pathogen microbes, but only 6 of them have the potential to overcome antibiotic resistance.…
NHS launches clinical examination skill training for 10,000 community pharmacists The clinical examination and consulting skills training is aimed to complement independent prescriber training.…
Pharmacies to collect toiletries and sanitary products as part of hygiene poverty campaign Customer donations will be collected for distribution to charities, including hygiene banks, domestic abuse services, homelessness support and food banks.…
Recent antibiotic reduces cancer survival after immune checkpoint inhibitors by 12%, study results show Results from a Canadian cohort study suggest that antibiotic therapy may reduce the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.…
High drug prices not justified by research and development spending, US analysis claims Analysis by health economists show that the median price of newly launched prescription drugs in the United States rose from US$1,400 per year in 2008 to more than US$150,000 per year in 2021.…
