David Lipanovic

Senior Clinical Reporter

Pharmacists to improve provision of palliative care medicines under proposed five-year strategy

The Scottish government has set out plans to provide better access to high-quality palliative care by 2030, as well as the provision of clear medicines information for patients and their families.…

More than 1.5 million people could be given tirzepatide for weight loss under NHS proposals

Priority will be given to patients with the highest clinical need, identified as those with a BMI of more than 40 and at least three specific weight-related health problems.…

Triptans should be considered as preferred first-line treatment for acute migraine, research concludes

From head-to-head comparisons between active interventions, the meta-analysis showed that eletriptan was the most effective drug for pain freedom at two hours post dose.…

Almost 14,000 temporary pharmacy closures reported across England in 2023, research finds

North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board recorded the highest number of temporary closures (1,438) and hours lost (4,054).…

Pharmacy teams advised to produce ready-to-administer oxytocin infusions for maternity services

Required oxytocin infusions will now need to be prepared at the time of the event, prompting concerns this will add pressure to already stretched maternity services.…

Pharmacy regulator to require ‘two-way communication’ in new draft guidance

In its latest guidance, the regulator has expanded the list of medicines for which additional safeguards should be in place for online pharmacies.…

Mpox: how is the UK preparing for the latest variant?

With the first cases of a new mpox strain emerging in Europe and Asia in August 2024, the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” for the second time in two years. So what is the ‘clade I’ mpox virus and what risk does it po…

MHRA approves dupilumab for treatment of uncontrolled COPD

The regulator has granted marketing authorisation for a subcutaneous injection as an add-on maintenance treatment for adults with uncontrolled COPD.…

Community pharmacy may face similar access problems to general practice, warns NHS review

A report conducted by Lord Darzi has warned that there is a risk that community pharmacy will face similar access problems to general practice if it continues on its current trajectory.…

Weekly insulin injection as effective as daily injections in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, research suggests

Two studies have suggested that a once-weekly injection of insulin has a similar effectiveness for blood sugar management as daily injections.…