Drug classes

NHS increases funding for inclisiran although uptake remains ‘slower than expected’

In a letter sent to colleagues, NHS England said it had increased the reimbursement fee for inclisiran from £50 to £60.…

English pharmacy sore throat service twice as likely to supply antibiotics than Welsh equivalent

Researchers compared the antibiotic supply rates of the two schemes and found that 72.7% of patients in England were prescribed with antibiotics following a pharmacy consultation, compared with 29.9% in Wales.…

Gastrointestinal complications associated with prematurity

An overview of gastrointestinal complications associated with premature birth and the role of parenteral nutrition in overcoming them.…

Medicines derived from UK blood plasma distributed to NHS hospitals for ‘first time in a generation’

More than 250,000 litres of plasma from UK donors have been sent to human protein product manufacturer Octapharma to produce NHS medicines for the first time since a 1998 ban.…

Haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis: an overview

A summary of the different types of renal replacement therapy and the physiological implications of end-stage renal disease on medicines dosing and monitoring.…

Pharmacists asked to assist in switching patients from Promixin by end of April 2025

A national patient safety alert advises that Colicym 1-million-unit power for nebuliser solution unit dose vials should be considered as an alternative treatment.…

BMI should be recorded annually for people with long-term conditions, says NICE

The draft quality standard on overweight and obesity management also advises healthcare professionals to seek permission in a sensitive, non-judgemental way before discussing weight.…

Two-thirds of cholesterol point-of-care tests fail to meet standards, researchers warn

Authors of a literature review found that only two out of six point-of-care tests “mostly met” necessary standards for use in the NHS Health Check programme.…

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.…

More than 500 people hospitalised following use of weight-loss drugs, says health minister

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency confirmed that more than 20,000 Yellow Card reports of suspected reactions in association with GLP-1 RAs indicated for weight management have been recorded, as of 31 January 2025.…