PJ, April 2009

From snake venom to ACE inhibitor — the discovery and rise of captopril

In this article on landmark drugs, Jenny Bryan looks at the discovery of captopril and how it changed cardiovascular treatment. In the early 1980s, hypertension conferences were routinely enlivened by the poisonous Brazilian viper, Bothrops jararaca. With its striking zig-zag markings and aggressive…

Dispensing errors should be decriminalised

Pharmacy organisations have repeated calls for simple dispensing errors not to be a criminal offence. The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists says that the wording of Section 64 of the 1968 Medicines Act “is not fit for purpose”, in its response to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory…

Former locum handed suspended jail term for dispensing error

A former locum pharmacist has been sentenced to a three-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, following a dispensing error. The judge also ordered the defendant to complete a 12-month supervision requirement with the probation service. Elizabeth Lee, of Victor Road, Windsor, Berkshire, who wa…