Dosage forms

Minister urged to block takeover of inhaler manufacturer by tobacco firm

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has written to the government to express its concerns around the proposed takeover of inhaler manufacturer Vectura by tobacco company Philip Morris International.…

Increasing injectable medicines ten-fold could release time equivalent to 4,000 extra nurses, report says

The production of injectable medicines in England could be increased from the current 3.4 million individual doses to more than 40 million per year.…

Diabetes: mental health considerations in adults

Pharmacists can contribute to the psychological and emotional wellbeing of people living with diabetes by helping to identify those who have mental wellbeing needs, optimising treatment and minimising risk factors.…

Reducing asthma medication does not worsen outcomes but could save money, study suggests

Stepping down asthma medication does not adversely affect patient outcomes and could save millions of pounds in medicines costs, a study in PLoS Medicine has found.…

Inhaler recycling scheme that cut carbon emissions equivalent to more than 8,500 cars is scrapped

A scheme to recycle respiratory inhalers, which has cut carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking around 8,600 cars off UK roads, is ending.…

Blue, brown and now green

The ‘NHS long-term plan’ has called for a shift towards inhalers with a lower carbon footprint.…

Salbutamol inhaler prescribing jumped 60% at start of COVID-19 pandemic

The number of some inhalers prescribed by GPs in England increased by 63% between February 2020 and March 2020, according to data analysed by The Pharmaceutical Journal.…

Why we must urgently rethink prescribing short-acting bronchodilators for asthma

Guidelines from the Global Initiative for Asthma present a radical overhaul of the way we manage asthma; but our current approach isn’t working, and nothing will change if it is not challenged.…

Community pharmacy service improves inhaler technique, study shows

Dedicated community pharmacy services can improve inhaler technique for almost all patients, a study presented at the British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting has shown.…

Switching from MDIs could reduce carbon impact of inhalers and save money

Switching patients who use metered-dose inhalers, which contain hydrofluoroalkane propellants, to cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternatives could lead to major cost savings, as well as reduced NHS greenhouse gas emissions.…