News | Sexual health

News

Ban on puberty blockers in the UK made indefinite, government says

Independent expert advice provided by the Commission on Human Medicines has urged that the ban continue while progress is made towards safeguarding children and young people.…

Published: 16 December 2024

News

Access to PrEP from community pharmacies could be piloted from autumn 2025

Exclusive: The Welsh government said it would explore pharmacist involvement in a pilot scheme designed to improve access to pre-exposure prophylaxis in the community.…

Published: 10 December 2024

News

RPS raises concerns after draft HIV guidance recommends unregulated website for purchasing PrEP

The guidance suggests options to patients who are unable or unwilling to access PrEP on the NHS and calls for community pharmacies to “support greater equity” in accessing the drug.…

Published: 2 December 2024

News

NICE recommends cognitive behavioural therapy for treatment of menopause symptoms

The guidance says menopause-specific cognitive behavioural therapy can be used in addition to hormone replacement therapy or as an alternative.…

Published: 8 November 2024

News

NICE rejects cabotegravir for PrEP in draft guidance

Draft guidance said the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment cabotegravir is not recommended because “it is not possible to determine the cost-effectiveness estimate ... without further analyses from the manufacturer”.…

Published: 30 September 2024

News

Men taking valproate advised by MHRA to use effective contraception

The regulator advises that males and their partners should use effective contraception during, and for at least three months after, valproate treatment.…

Published: 9 September 2024

News

Pharmacies warned to be prepared to support people being released early from prison

NHS England has written to community pharmacy leads and GPs to request that they prepare to support people being released early from prison in September and October 2024.…

Published: 5 September 2024

News

Pharmacists risk being criminalised in puberty blockers ban, warns RPS

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society says the emergency prohibition order for gonadotrophin-releasing hormone may be leading to prescribers “unwittingly breaking the law”.…

Published: 1 August 2024

News

Government introduces ‘emergency ban’ on overseas prescriptions for puberty blockers

The new arrangements, which apply to gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, follow the Cass Review recommendation that inappropriate overseas prescribing of hormone supplies should be prevented.…

Published: 3 June 2024

Feature

Phosphodiesterase 5 receptor (PDE5) inhibitors similarities and differences: a non-prescription medicine perspective

Introduction Phosphodiesterase 5 receptor (PDE5) inhibitors have had a significant impact on the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), with the introduction of drugs like sildenafil citrate (Viagra®), tadalafil (Cialis®), and vardenafil (Levitra®). In 1998, Pfizer launched the first PDE…

Published: 3 April 2024