Analgesics

NICE recommends first combination pill for long-term treatment of endometriosis

Relugolix combination therapy is a second-line treatment option for endometriosis that is faster acting than injectable treatments and can be taken at home.…

SIGN rejects opioids and medicinal cannabis for chronic pain in draft guidance

Draft guidance on management of chronic pain included medicinal cannabis for the first time, not recommending it on the basis of limited clinical evidence and consistent evidence of adverse effects.…

Government-funded trial will test psilocybin as treatment for opioid use disorder

The project is one of four funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research aimed at cutting harm from illegal drugs.…

Nitazenes linked to 179 deaths in 12 months, government data show

According to data analysis by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, protonitazene was linked to the most reported deaths — 73 out of 179.…

Prescribing dilemma: balancing risk and benefits of off-label migraine treatment in a child

The second of a new series of articles exploring real-world dilemmas that pharmacist prescribers encounter in clinical practice.…

Opioids stewardship: an opportunity for community pharmacy

Opioid prescribing is a necessary component of post-operative pain management but carries a risk of misuse and dependency formation1. Community pharmacists are uniquely placed to contribute to effective opioid stewardship2. We previously reported on potentially valuable entries on PharmO…

UK’s first safe drug consumption room expected to open in October 2024

The safe drug consumption facility will allow people to use illegal drugs in a sterile environment at Hunter Street Health and Social Care Centre in Glasgow, Scotland.…

Deaths related to drug misuse in Scotland rose by almost 12% in 2023

The National Records of Scotland data show that opioids were implicated in 80% of the misuse-related deaths in 2023.…

One in ten people with chronic pain could experience opioid dependence, suggest study results

The pooled prevalence of dependence and opioid use disorder was 9.3% across 148 studies, but the researchers say high heterogeneity means the results should be “interpreted with caution”.…

Ability to supply naloxone should be expanded to non-registered members of pharmacy team, says negotiator

Community Pharmacy England has said that amended legislation should go further than extending the ability to supply naloxone without a prescription to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.…