PJ, January 2017, Vol 298, No 7897

EMA recommends approval for oral rheumatoid arthritis drug

The European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended that baricitinib (Olumiant; Eli Lilly), an oral therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is granted a marketing authorisation in the EU.…

GPhC confirms changes to how it reviews pharmacists’ CPD records

Reforms that mean pharmacists will be randomly selected to provide a record of their continuing professional development by the General Pharmaceutical Council will be introduced in 2017, the regulator has confirmed.…

Pharmacists found selling benzodiazepines to ‘criminal market’, discovers MHRA

UK regulators and police are carrying out a large-scale investigation into the diversion of prescription-only drugs into the criminal market following the arrest of two pharmacists based in Yorkshire. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received a tip-off from enforc…

How Rachel Macdonald got involved in research in a community pharmacy

Rachel Macdonald, professional services pharmacist for PCT Healthcare Ltd, recently participated in the Salford Lung Study in community pharmacy.…

Threshold for investigating complaints against pharmacists to change

Proposed revised threshold criteria for determining whether complaints made about pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should be investigated have been published by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) in a consultation document.  The criteria are being updated to take account of cha…

Eucrisa approved for eczema in US

A new treatment for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in patients aged two years and older. Eucrisa (Anacor Pharmaceuticals, recently acquired by Pfizer) is applied topically twice daily. It is a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE-4) inhi…

Actavis accused of overcharging NHS for hydrocortisone tablets

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has accused pharmaceutical company Actavis UK of breaking competition law by charging the NHS excessive prices for hydrocortisone tablets. Actavis UK (formerly Auden Mckenzie) increased the price of 10mg hydrocortisone tablets by over 12,000% compare…

Murray review calls for redesign of MURs and practical steps to establish national minor ailments scheme

Medicines use reviews (MURs) should be redesigned to include ongoing monitoring and regular patient follow-up, giving community pharmacists a much greater role in the management of patients with long-term conditions, according to a long-awaited review of community pharmacy services.…

Summary care record now used in 50% of community pharmacies in England

The summary care record (SCR) is now used in almost 6,000 community pharmacies — around half the total number in England — one year after its roll out to community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, NHS Digital has announced. To date, more than 20,000 pharmacy professionals have…

Deaths: Eileen Hannah Patterson

On 9 September 2016, Eileen Hannah Patterson MRPharmS, aged 91, of North Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Mrs Patterson registered with the Society in 1946. …