News | Respiratory tract diseases

News

Smoking cessation drug could help young people quit vaping, study results suggest

Researchers found that varenicline is an effective vaping cessation drug among participants aged 16–25 years who vape nicotine daily or near daily.…

Published: 25 April 2025

News

Community pharmacy RSV expansion programme to be expanded four-fold

The Department of Health and Social Care said up to 200 community pharmacy sites could be commissioned to provide the respiratory syncytial virus vaccination in 2025/2026.…

Published: 15 April 2025

News

NHS England to assess feasibility of a national inhaler recycling scheme

Health minister Karin Smyth said NHS England was “currently supporting the implementation of an inhaler recycling pilot to assess a national scheme’s feasibility and potential benefits”.…

Published: 10 April 2025

Feature

First UK joint asthma guidance: what does it mean for practice?

In this episode of The PJ Pod, we explore the main changes and implications for practice brought about by the UK-wide joint asthma guideline.…

Published: 8 April 2025

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

Pharmacy involvement absent from almost half of TB services in England, report finds

The report, authored by the Getting It Right First Time projects team at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, pointed out that pharmacy was absent in 43% of TB services.…

Published: 20 March 2025

News

BMI should be recorded annually for people with long-term conditions, says NICE

The draft quality standard on overweight and obesity management also advises healthcare professionals to seek permission in a sensitive, non-judgemental way before discussing weight.…

Published: 20 March 2025

Opinion

It is an exciting time to be a respiratory pharmacist — and we need more of them 

Specialist respiratory pharmacists are in short supply in England and Wales, but investing in developing this workforce will show benefit for pharmacy and patients.…

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

Only 4% of pharmacies offering smoking cessation service claimed payment in three months

Exclusive: Of the 4,721 pharmacies registered to provide the service, 203 claimed payment for a consultation between July and September 2024.…

Published: 10 March 2025