PJ, 20 September 2014, Vol 293, No 7828

FDA adds another weight loss drug to the US market

Combination therapy Contrave is the third weight loss drug to be approved by the US FDA in recent years. …

Montelukast shows promise for treating children with 5/5 ALOX5 genetic variant, study suggests

Subgroup analysis indicated that montelukast outperformed placebo in children with the 5/5 ALOX5 variant.…

WHO says Ukraine is at risk of polio outbreak as vaccine stockpiles dry up

Ukraine is at risk of a polio outbreak as the war ravaged nation has run out of vaccine stockpiles for the disease, as well as for other infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.…

Sunday 16 November: Surrey

Local practice forum event, “pharmacy — the front line”, by Deborah Evans (member of the English National Board). Cobham Hilton, Seven Hills Road South, Cobham KT11 1EW. Meeting 10am, buffet provided. Book via the RPS website.…

Mass spectroscopy technique used directly on blood samples could lead to quicker use of correct antibiotics

A diagnostic technique can identify a microbe within two to three minutes, while traditional analysis can take up to 48 hours. …

OTC medicines: a breakdown

Sales of over-the-counter medicines totalled £2.45bn in 2013, up by £52.3m compared with the previous year.…

Patients offer insight into clinical research, RPS conference hears

Input from patients on the design and execution of clinical research can provide a valuable perspective that healthcare professionals may not offer, a researcher says.…

New single-dose antibiotic could help patients with compliance problems

A new single-dose antibiotic could benefit patients, such as intravenous drug users, whose lifestyle makes it difficult to comply with a week-long course of vancomycin.…

Experimental antifungal drug causes fewer side effects than voriconazole

A new experimental anti-fungal treatment is no less effective than its predecessor, but exposes patients to fewer side effects, a study has found.…

Is there a consensus on using NSAIDs for acute gout?

I read with interest your learning article on gout ( The Pharmaceutical Journal, 2014;293:182). However, I am rather confused over the reference to using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the treatment of acute gout. I was always under the impression that ibuprofen should…