PJ, 31 January 2015, Vol 294, No 7847

Drug driving law must not be a burden for patients

Patients taking medicines affected by new drug driving laws will need timely and accurate advice from pharmacists.…

No-blame culture should be fostered in pharmacy

Even though the requirement to name a community pharmacy in patient safety reports has been postponed, the sector must do more to improve the reporting of dispensing errors.…

Moderate drinking linked to lower risk of heart failure

In a study of 15,000 adults, those who consumed up to seven drinks per week in early-to-middle age had a significantly lower risk of developing heart failure compared with their teetotal counterparts.…

Aspirin inappropriately used for CVD prevention in just over 10% of cases

A survey of nearly 70,000 patients taking aspirin for primary prevention has found that, for the overall cohort, treatment was inappropriate in nearly 11.6% of cases.…

Dispensing: it’s time to let it go

If the aspirations of pharmacy fulfilling a clinical role integral to public healthcare is ever to be realised, community pharmacists must shift their focus away from dispensing and towards providing health services.…

Study shows how glucocorticoids tightly control the inflammatory response

IRAK-M, a key negative regulator of inflammatory pathways, may represent a new therapeutic target to suppress bacteria-induced inflammation, say researchers.…

RPS Scotland targets greater clinical role for pharmacy in 2015

Business plan for 2015 sets out Royal Pharmaceutical Society Scotland’s ambitions for the Prescription for Excellence programme…

Study questions FDA warning over adverse cognitive effects of statins

In 25 placebo-controlled trials involving nearly 47,000 patients, adverse cognitive outcomes attributable to statins were rarely reported, researchers found.…

Drug shortages: it’s time for Europe to act

Unlike the United States, Europe has no plan for coordinated action to mitigate drug shortages.…

Tribute to Eugene Thomas Fitzpatrick Ball

My father passed away on 5 January 2014, aged 93. Eugene (Gene) registered in 1944 and worked for the whole of his working life for the Boots Company. A dedicated pharmacist, he nevertheless also brought to work his outside interests in photography and high-fidelity sound. This caused…