News | Respiratory tract diseases

News

More than 20,000 inhalers returned through postal inhaler recycling scheme

The scheme has saved an estimated 119.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions entering the atmosphere.…

Published: 25 January 2023

News

Sotrovimab no longer recommended as first-line treatment for COVID-19 patients

Only nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir is now recommended as the first-line treatment for non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19, while sotrovimab may be considered "by exception".…

Published: 1 December 2022

News

National Institute for Health and Care Research to fund new phase of platform trial to assess treatments for severe flu

The 'Randomised, embedded, multi-factorial, adaptive platform trial for community-acquired pneumonia' was also designed to assess several treatments during a respiratory pandemic, such as COVID-19.…

Published: 29 November 2022

News

NICE rejects molnupiravir, remdesivir and Evusheld as routine COVID-19 treatments 

In draft guidance, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said the three treatments were not cost effective.…

Published: 16 November 2022

News

Incentive schemes behind inhaler and edoxaban switching targets should be scrapped, say MPs

In a report on the future of general practice, MPs said it was clear the current target and incentive system "is not having the desired effect on outcomes".…

Published: 21 October 2022

News

Community pharmacies incentivised to refer frequent users of reliever inhalers to general practice

The new referral incentive will be part of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme for 2022/2023.…

Published: 12 October 2022

Feature

‘Pharmacists come into primary care to make a difference and prescribing is an important part of that toolkit’

Andy Christopherson, lead for prescribing and clinical pharmacy, East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership…

Published: 6 October 2022

News

Concern over ‘inappropriate’ flu vaccine being given to people aged over 65 years

An NHS regional flu lead has warned that patients aged over 65 years who have been given the QIVe vaccine should be recalled and possibly revaccinated.…

Published: 5 October 2022

News

NHS Scotland announces plan to switch patients to greener inhalers

A strategy document, published by NHS Scotland, says that improvements in the way asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are managed could help reduce metered dose inhaler use.…

Published: 19 August 2022

Opinion

SARS-CoV2 antivirals are essential, but they are not silver bullets

The UK government's 'living with COVID-19' policy is relying too much on antiviral treatments, but now is not the time to relax.…

Published: 22 June 2022