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.…
Government recommends Paxlovid as first-line treatment for eligible COVID-19 patients New guidance advises that patients who test positive for COVID-19 following their admission to hospital should be offered Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir + ritonavir) first.…
Around 5,000 courses of molnupiravir dispensed in England in first month of use A further 5,000 vials of the monoclonal antibody sotrovimab have been dispensed for the treatment of COVID-19, up to 16 January 2022.…
Trial results suggest daridorexant improves sleep and daytime functioning in insomnia patients Reductions were observed in participants' wake time after going to sleep in the groups taking 50mg or 25mg of daridorexant every evening for three months.…
Pharmacists should ask patients about self-harm in consultations, says NICE All healthcare professionals should be alert to the warning signs of self-harm in their interactions with patients, according to new draft NICE guidance.…
Pilot launched to investigate use of genetic testing to predict heart disease risk The biotech company Genomics has suggested that rolling out its genetic testing across England among individuals aged 45 to 64 years could cut the number of cardiovascular events by 11,000 over 10 years.…
World Health Organization recommends JAK inhibitor for treatment of severe or critical COVID-19 The monoclonal antibody sotrovimab has also been conditionally recommended for treating mild or moderate COVID-19 in patients who are at high risk of hospitalisation.…
MHRA to launch consultation on changes to clinical trial legislation Proposed changes to the legislation will aim to “streamline” clinical trials approvals, promote public involvement and enhance transparency.…
New chief pharmaceutical officer for England appointed David Webb, chief pharmacist and clinical director at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, will succeed Keith Ridge in February 2022.…