News | Medicines safety

News

Pharmacists asked to assist in switching patients from Promixin by end of April 2025

A national patient safety alert advises that Colicym 1-million-unit power for nebuliser solution unit dose vials should be considered as an alternative treatment.…

Published: 21 March 2025

News

Only 15% of NHS trusts meet emergency department pharmacy support standards, investigation finds

Exclusive: Freedom of information requests showed that only 15 of 98 NHS trusts in England met Royal College of Emergency Medicine and UK Clinical Pharmacy Association recommendations on pharmacy staffing levels.…

Published: 19 March 2025

Feature

The journey towards dedicated pharmacy support for all emergency departments

NHS trusts in England have started taking the first steps towards a dedicated pharmacy service for emergency departments, but there is a long way to go before each trust has the recommended support in place.…

Published: 19 March 2025

News

More than 500 people hospitalised following use of weight-loss drugs, says health minister

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency confirmed that more than 20,000 Yellow Card reports of suspected reactions in association with GLP-1 RAs indicated for weight management have been recorded, as of 31 January 2025.…

Published: 12 March 2025

News

Greener inhalers could make up to 10% of NHS net zero emissions cuts, report concludes

A report published by the Office of Health Economics said that a switch to the use of carbon minimal pressurised metered dose inhalers could cut NHS carbon emissions by more than 600,000 tonnes per year.…

Published: 11 March 2025

News

HRT alternative could cause serious liver injury, manufacturer warns

Astellas Pharma has warned that exposure to fezolinetant should be avoided in women at higher risk for liver disease and that early identification of potential liver injury was “essential”.…

Published: 4 March 2025

News

Standard-dose DOACs not necessarily better than reduced dose, study results suggest

Researchers found that “non-inferiority” of a reduced dose of direct oral anticoagulants could not be determined when compared with a standard dose, with “reliably low rates” of recurrent venous thromboembolism.…

Published: 4 March 2025

News

MPs call for urgent review into medicines shortages

A letter from 45 cross-party MPs has urged the government to look into medicines shortages to ensure patients have their “life-saving medications”.…

Published: 27 February 2025

News

SIGN rejects opioids and medicinal cannabis for chronic pain in draft guidance

Draft guidance on management of chronic pain included medicinal cannabis for the first time, not recommending it on the basis of limited clinical evidence and consistent evidence of adverse effects.…

Published: 25 February 2025

News

More than 90% of pharmacists oppose self-selection of P medicines, says PDA

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association says any potential changes to current regulations “should only be made following full consultation with pharmacists, ensuring decisions align with best practices in medicine safety and patient care”.…

Published: 17 February 2025