Combined treatment with mirtazapine linked to better outcomes in patients with acute depression, review shows Combining a reuptake inhibitor with a presynaptic α2-autoreceptor antagonist was found to be the most effective combination in terms of treatment outcomes.…
NICE recommends wider offering of dual metformin and SGLT2 inhibitor treatment in type 2 diabetes patients The new guidance recommends offering the first-line treatment to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who have chronic heart failure or established cardiovascular disease.…
Some patients switched to ‘greener’ inhalers without consultation, say experts Exclusive: Experts warn that non-consented inhaler switches pose risks to patients' health and advise physicians to carry out individual inhaler checks to avoid this.…
NICE provisionally recommends semaglutide for patients with obesity Semaglutide, which suppresses the appetite, has been recommended as part of a specialist weight management service for a maximum of two years.…
Spike in price concessions prompts concern over generic medicine supply issues Exclusive: As the number of price concessions for generic drugs soared in January 2022, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committees has raised concerns with the government over supply issues.…
Switches to dry powder inhalers could halve carbon footprint, study results suggest Patients switched to a dry powder inhaler produced 132kg less annual carbon dioxide equivalent than those using metred-dose inhalers, and had better asthma control.…
Better pharmacist access needed to stop paediatric drug errors, concludes report An investigation has found that a lack of ward-based pharmacists on weekends is impacting children's care.…
MHRA consults on making first HRT product available over the counter The consultation follows advice from the Commission on Human Medicines that Gina, used in the treatment of vaginal atrophy, is safe to be made available as a pharmacy medicine.…
Government to consult on scrapping mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for frontline NHS staff The government has proposed removing the requirement for frontline NHS staff in England to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as the Omicron variant presents lower risks of hospitalisation and mortality.…
High-risk adults can now book their fourth COVID-19 jab All eligible patients will be able to book a fourth vaccination through the online system, as opposed to previous rounds when they waited to be invited.…
