PJ, June 2024, Vol 312, No 7986

Joint guidance for asthma recommends replacing SABA with corticosteroid inhalers

The draft guidance proposes the use of combined inhaled corticosteroid/formoterol inhalers over previously preferred short-acting beta agonists.…

Bristol pharmacist given RPS Charter Award

Ade Williams received the Charter Award from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society for demonstrating pharmacy’s role in providing comprehensive and affordable healthcare solutions for the community.…

Using data to improve prescribing practice

Data analysis is an important tool that prescribers can use to improve outcomes and optimise practice. This article introduces some of the principles, tools and approaches that pharmacists can use.…

David Lees Norris (1948–2024)

On 17 April 2024, David Lees Norris FPharmS, aged 76 years, of Quorn, Leicestershire. Mr Norris registered with the Society in 1970 and became a Fellow in November 2015. David graduated from Strathclyde Pharmacy School in 1969 and worked in manufacturing operations for Boots in Nottingha…

First UK safe drug consumption room could open by September 2024, says local authority

Exclusive: A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said its safe drug consumption room may be able to open ahead of schedule.…

Two-thirds of pharmacies reduce opening hours owing to funding cuts, says NPA

Analysis by the National Pharmacy Association shows pharmacies in England have reduced their opening hours by an average of 6.1 hours per week since 2015.…

Behavioural medicine lecturer wins award for early-career pharmacy research

Sion Scott was selected as the winner of the 2024 Outstanding Pharmacy Early-Career Researcher Award for his research using behavioural science to facilitate routine deprescribing of medicines where the risks outweigh their benefits.…

MHRA introduces new safety measures for use of topiramate in pregnancy

Under the new measures, women of childbearing potential must use highly effective contraception, have a negative pregnancy test and be made aware of the risks of the medicine before beginning treatment with the anti-seizure medicine.…

Optimising the pharmacy team to deliver effective medicines reconciliation during new patient registration

Medicines reconciliation contributes to patient safety and continuity of care during registration at a new primary care setting. This article explores how to optimise the multidisciplinary team and involve pharmacy technicians in the process, using four case scenarios.…

Greener inhaler propellant is therapeutically equivalent to traditional alternatives, study results suggest

Study authors reported overall bioequivalence between inhalers that use HFA-152a as a propellant and traditionally used devices with HFA-134a as a propellant.…