News | Infectious diseases

Feature

Everything you need to know about the COVID-19 therapy trials

There are thousands of clinical trials investigating treatments and preventative measures for COVID-19.…

Published: 22 October 2021

Feature

Antivirals for COVID-19: five questions that must be answered

The UK government has secured 730,000 doses of two new oral antivirals that it hopes will help to stop COVID-19 in its tracks and keep vulnerable people out of hospital this winter.…

Published: 21 October 2021

Feature

Never again: training our immune systems to neutralise killer coronaviruses

Experimental universal coronavirus vaccines target multiple related viruses, with the aim of warding off other pandemics before they can wreak the havoc endured while the world waited for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.…

Published: 7 October 2021

News

Oral antiviral may halve COVID-19 hospitalisation risk, claims manufacturer

Interim results from a trial using data from 775 patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 show that no deaths were reported in those given molnupiravir, compared with eight deaths in those who were given a placebo.…

Published: 1 October 2021

News

All pharmacists now eligible for free flu vaccination in England after U-turn

Additional funding has been set aside to allow for all "eligible primary care contractors" to be vaccinated against flu — including community pharmacy teams and locums — following pleas from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.…

Published: 30 September 2021

News

NHS prepares for antiviral deployment to treat COVID-19

Exclusive: Keith Ridge, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, is working with the government to decide the next steps for the deployment of oral antivirals to treat COVID-19 in the community.…

Published: 29 September 2021

News

It is ‘shocking’ that free flu vaccinations are not being offered to all pharmacists in England and Wales, says RPS

Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said the Society is "calling on the NHS to offer free flu vaccinations to pharmacists and pharmacy teams in both England and Wales, as is the case in Scotland”.…

Published: 21 September 2021

News

Monoclonal antibody treatment will be available to patients aged over 50 years hospitalised with COVID-19

Ronapreve, a cocktail of casirivimab and imdevimab, works by binding to COVID-19's spike protein, stopping it from infecting the body’s cells.…

Published: 20 September 2021

News

Boots flu vaccination appointment bookings increase almost 70% year-on-year

Bookings for flu vaccinations at Boots stores increased by 67% between 1 July 2021 and 6 September 2021, when compared with the same time period in 2020.…

Published: 15 September 2021

News

Fewer than 700 community pharmacies sign up to provide hepatitis C testing

Exclusive: Data from NHS England have revealed that 662 pharmacies have registered to deliver the Hepatitis C Antibody Testing Service in its first year.…

Published: 10 September 2021