NHS home testing identifies hundreds with hepatitis C More than 105,000 people in England have ordered the test since the home-testing service launched in May 2023, with more than 200 testing positive.…
Smoking cessation pill Champix returns to market four years after withdrawal over carcinogen Manufacturer Pfizer said it had “taken steps to address the presence of nitrosamines in Champix, including lowering the levels to meet regulatory requirements”.…
UK government says it does not support safe drug consumption rooms Speaking at a House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee inquiry into the Glasgow safe drug consumption facility, the minister for policing and crime prevention said the Westminster government would “not be amending the Misuse of Drugs Act”.…
Take-home naloxone: could community pharmacies be the answer to tackling drug deaths? Legislation to widen access to the opioid antidote naloxone came into force in December 2024. Experts say the community pharmacy network could use these changes to make sure this life-saving medicine reaches those who need it.…
The importance of active preparation for surgery As patients awaiting surgery tend to have poorer health and comorbidities, pharmacists can encourage patients to actively prepare for surgery and help improve outcomes.…
A new peer support group for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in recovery I am writing to bring attention to an important resource now available to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians: a dedicated peer support group for those recovering from addiction to alcohol and/or drugs. Substance use disorders can affect anyone, including highly trained healthcare professionals.…
UK’s first safer drug consumption facility accessed more than 2,500 times in first four months, data show Between January and April 2025, service data from The Thistle facility in Glasgow reported nearly 2,000 injecting episodes and 30 medical emergencies.…
Repeat prescription opioids most commonly linked to patient harm and deaths, study results show Researchers found that between January 2019 and December 2023, opioid analgesics made up 76% of the medications mentioned in coroners’ prevention of future deaths reports.…
Smoking cessation drug could help young people quit vaping, study results suggest Researchers found that varenicline is an effective vaping cessation drug among participants aged 16–25 years who vape nicotine daily or near daily.…
Government ends programme to tackle drug deaths and drug-related offending Between January 2021 and June 2024, Project ADDER benefited nearly 5,000 people in drug treatment and led to more than 39,000 arrest for drug offences.…
