Julia Robinson

Clinical and Science Editor

Julia Robinson is our Senior Data Journalist

Opioid prescribing in Wales increases by 30% in a decade

Opioid prescribing in Wales has increased by 30% in the past decade, according to figures published by the Welsh government.…

The deadly online prescribing loophole

Online prescribing has long operated in a regulatory grey area, with some online pharmacies evading oversight by exploiting technical loopholes in the law.…

Gabapentin, pregabalin and oxycodone prescriptions in England increased each year between 2013 and 2018

Prescriptions for gabapentin, pregabalin and oxycodone increased year on year between 2013 and 2018 across primary care in England, study results published in the British Journal of General Practice show.…

Anticholinergic medicines associated with increased risk of dementia, UK study finds

Using strong anticholinergic medication every day for three years or more is associated with a nearly 50% increased risk of dementia in those aged 55 years and over, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found.…

Is a complete ban on OTC opioids the solution?

Misuse of over-the-counter opioids often slips under the radar. Some experts say the UK should follow other countries and ban them altogether, but others argue that there is more that pharmacists can do to help tackle this problem.…

Working group set up to cut climate change impact of asthma inhalers

A national working group has been set up to reduce the climate change impact of asthma inhalers and help meet carbon emissions targets laid out in the ‘NHS Long Term Plan’.…

European hospital pharmacists pledge support for EU vaccination plans

The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists has pledged its support for EU plans to improve vaccination coverage and tackle ‘vaccine hesitancy’.…

Stewart Adams (1923–2019)

Having fallen into the pharmacy profession “purely by chance”, Stewart Adams OBE went on to discover ibuprofen, one of the world’s best selling anti-inflammatory painkillers.…

A joint effort – the pivotal role of pharmacists in joint pain management

Pharmacists have an important role to play in the management of osteoarthritis and joint pain, but they also face significant barriers to becoming integrated within the multidisciplinary team.…

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Pharmacists should do more to help patients with OTC analgesics, experts say

Experts in pain management attended a round-table event to discuss how pharmacists and the pharmacy team can better support patients to self-manage acute pain with over-the-counter treatments.…

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