PJ, December 2016, Vol 297, No 7896

Patients lack knowledge on how to report adverse drug reactions

A lack of awareness about reporting systems for adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and confusion about how they work are preventing patients from informing medicines safety regulators when something goes wrong, according to research published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology [1] …

Spending on medicines rises by 8% in England

NHS spending on drugs in England increased by 8% to £16.8bn in 2015–2016 from £15.5bn in 2014–2015, which was largely driven by spending on medicines by hospitals, a report by NHS Digital shows. The £16.8bn spent on medicines in 2015–2016 was made up of &pou…

Deaths: Andrew Beardsley

On 25 October 2016, Andrew Beardsley, aged 66, of Beeston, Nottingham. Mr Beardsley registered with the Society in 1973 and left in 2011.…

No new money for health in autumn statement

There was no new money for the NHS or social care announced in the autumn statement on 23 November 2016, despite warnings from the NHS and local government that services are at breaking point and evidence that a crisis in social services is heightening pressure on an already overburdened NHS.…

Identifying patients with testosterone deficiency in community pharmacy

Addressing men’s health is always an ongoing conundrum and not just limited to “Movember”. Beyond just addressing this health issue, it is also about saving valuable NHS resources, keeping families together for longer, reducing economic loss and improving health equality. Com…

Celesio income fell 36% in first six months of financial year

UK government cuts to prescription reimbursement and the falling value of the pound have contributed to a fall in profit for the Celesio Group for the first six months of this financial year, the company says. Celesio – the parent company of LloydsPharmacy – revealed on 22 November…

FDA approves treatment for postmenopausal sexual dysfunction

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved dehydroepiandrosterone for the treatment of vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women.…

Researchers create star-shaped device that can deliver drug dose over two weeks

US researchers have developed a star-shaped long-lasting drug device that resides in the stomach and can deliver a controlled drug dose over a period of up to two weeks.…

Volume of prescriptions dispensed up 1.7% while number of pharmacies remains steady

The number of prescriptions dispensed in England by community pharmacies increased by 1.7% in 2015–2016, while the number of pharmacies stayed relatively steady, figures from NHS Digital show.…

Pharmacists wanting to practise in the UK must prove English language skills

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who qualified in the European Economic Area or Switzerland who want to practise in the UK now have to prove they have the necessary knowledge of the English language before they can register with the relevant professional regulator.…