Drug classes

Four point-of-care tests for UTIs ‘show promise’, says NICE in early guidance

NICE said it needs more data on the accuracy of the tests in detecting and identifying bacteria before it can recommend them for use in the NHS.…

Weight loss drug semaglutide will ‘soon’ be available to eligible patients, says NICE

Trial results showed that participants taking semaglutide lost an average of 12% more of their body weight compared with placebo.…

Recent antibiotic reduces cancer survival after immune checkpoint inhibitors by 12%, study results show

Results from a Canadian cohort study suggest that antibiotic therapy may reduce the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.…

Dose adjustments of antimicrobials in patients with renal impairment

An overview of appropriate dosing of antimicrobials in patients with acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and patients on dialysis.…

Give prescribers access to non-drug alternatives to antidepressants and opioids, says NHS

In a new framework, NHS England recommends alternative treatment options, such as psychotherapy, health coaching and pain or sleep clinics, are commissioned locally.…

How COVID-19 affected pharmacy supply of antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections

Learnings from a community pharmacy patient group direction service for the management of suspected urinary tract infections, which identified prescribing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Newborn babies to be genetically tested to prevent gentamicin-associated deafness

Around 1,200 babies born in England and Wales each year are at risk of hearing loss from gentamicin.…

Chlamydia: screening, diagnosis and management

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK. Learn the signs and symptoms of chlamydia, who is eligible for screening and how to treat it.…

Buprenorphine initiation in community pharmacy ‘feasible’ for opioid withdrawal, concludes study

Community pharmacies can safely initiate patients on buprenorphine for opioid dependence and are likely to keep them engaged with treatment for longer, according to results of a small study.…

Development and implementation of a national antimicrobial intravenous-to-oral switch criteria for early switching

The 'English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance 2020–2021' report recorded an increased number of antibiotic-resistant infections compared with 2016​[1]​. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is exacerbated by antibiotic overuse, thus antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) …