PJ, October 2017, Vol 299, No 7906

It’s in our hands: RPS campaign on antimicrobial stewardship encourages good handwashing

More than 80% of adults in the UK do not wash their hands for long enough to prevent infection, according to a survey conducted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)…

Perception of pharmacists as prescription checkers is a ‘scandal’: RPS English Pharmacy Board chair

Pharmacists are expensively trained healthcare professionals with five years’ education who can do much more than just check prescriptions, Sandra Gidley, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) English Pharmacy Board told a major health conference.…

MHRA warns students against self-prescribing

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a strong warning to students about the risks of self-prescribing and self-medicating with medicines bought online.…

Community pharmacists can help highlight valproate risks, says PGEU

Medicines use reviews and the new medicine service provide the perfect opportunity to discuss risks of sodium valproate with younger women, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union is advising.…

Antibiotics should not be used for childhood ear infections, says NICE

The majority of childhood ear infections should be treated with pain relief rather than immediate antibiotics, according to new draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).…

Patients told by GP practice that flu vaccines from pharmacists are ‘less safe’

GP practice texted patients to say community pharmacists’ flu vaccines are ‘less safe’, it is claimed.…

Fact or fiction? My career as a pharmacist and best-selling author

The world of pharmacy has changed so much in recent years, but is still misunderstood by the media, says Amit Dhand.…

Tribute: William Pitkethly

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Dr Bill Pitkethly. I had the pleasure of knowing Bill for 40 years, initially in his role as a lecturer at Sunderland School of Pharmacy and then as regional quality control pharmacist for the NHS Northern Regional Health Authority. Bill served …

Q&A: Progress in seasonal influenza vaccines but world still short of capacity for pandemic vaccines

Marie-Paule Kieny from the World Health Organization discusses efforts over the past decade by the global agency to enhance seasonal influenza vaccine efficacy and production capacity, to ensure there is sufficient pandemic vaccine production, and to promote the effective development and deployment …

How telomeres affect your health and longevity

The telomere effect by Elizabeth Blackburn and Elissa Epel…