Thousands receive COVID-19 monoclonal antibody despite efficacy concerns

Exclusive: Some experts have warned that the continued use of sotrovimab is “inappropriate”, owing to its low efficacy against the dominant BA.2 variant in the UK.…

PANORAMIC trial to enlist 17,500 more patients as researchers add second COVID-19 antiviral

The addition of Paxlovid to the PANORAMIC trial will almost double the number of participants.…

More than 1,000 patients stopped taking antidepressants after introduction of local deprescribing guidelines

Exclusive: Guidelines published in 2021 have helped Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group move from having the fifth highest antidepressant prescribing rate in the country to the eighth highest.…

Arthritis drug may reduce mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients

Data from more than 8,000 hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 show that baricitinib, given in addition to usual care, reduced the risk of invasive mechanical ventilation or death.…

Pharmacy closures dropped by more than half in 2021, show NHS data

Analysis by The Pharmaceutical Journal found net closures of 93 community pharmacies in England in 2021, compared with 202 closures the previous year.…

Hear it here first: a year of the PJ Pod

During our first full year of The PJ Pod, we explored a range of topics including mental health in the face of COVID-19, hidden disabilities in pharmacy and a closer look at the diversity of the MPharm degree.…

Read all about it: the top 10 features of 2021

Our array of topical, detailed analyses makes for an impressive set of features to look back on from 2021.…

Government orders 4.3 million further doses of COVID-19 antivirals

The 1.8 million doses of molnupiravir and 2.5 million doses of PF-07321332/ritonavir are in addition to the courses that were announced in October 2021.…