PJ, May 2021, Vol 306, No 7949

How to advise women on the safe use of medicines while breastfeeding

Pharmacists should understand the pharmacokinetic principles influencing a drug’s passage through breast milk to confidently promote breastfeeding as an important public health measure.…

First single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in UK by MHRA

Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine has been approved for use in adults aged 18 and over, but pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult with a healthcare professional.…

Sore throat testing and contraception monitoring services under development for pharmacies in England

Exclusive: The services have been added to the updated data standards for community pharmacy, which will allow pharmacy staff to digitally update GP records with advice given or medication prescribed.…

In figures: the biggest flu vaccination campaign in history

While all the attention has been on the COVID-19 vaccination programme, community pharmacy has quietly stepped up to the challenge of helping deliver the largest influenza vaccination campaign in UK history.…

Community pharmacy sore throat testing service to restart in two health board areas

Exclusive: The sore throat test and treat service will restart in two health board areas, after Health Technology Wales reported that pharmacy-run rapid antigen detection testing "shows promise".…

Museum treasures: Robinson & Sons Gamgee tissue pneumonia jacket, 1940–1953

A chest covering made of Gamgee tissue wound dressing.…

Where are the coated generic tablets?

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author’s. If you would like to submit a letter to The Pharmaceutical Journal, please click here. As a retired pharmacist and now, increasingly, a consumer of pharmaceutical products, I am dismayed at the prevalence of generic uncoated table…

Experts in community, primary care and digital pharmacy appointed to chair RPS advisory groups

The three new advisory groups will join three existing expert groups.…

Sleep medicines do not improve sleep disturbances in the long term, study suggests

Researchers found no self-reported differences in sleep quality or duration between sleep medicine users and non-users after following them up at one and two years.…

I frequently see overdoses: why can large packs of medicines be bought over the counter?

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author’s. If you would like to submit a letter to The Pharmaceutical Journal, please click here. I am an advanced clinical practitioner pharmacist working in acute medicine and, sadly, I often deal with drug overdoses. I wondered if anyo…