Drug legal status

Around 360,000 patients at risk of being ‘trapped’ on antipsychotics, researchers warn

The British Journal of General Practice's cross-sectional study highlights that between 360,000 and 390,000 patients in the UK could be being prescribed long-term antipsychotics "without regular psychiatric review”.…

Adrenal insufficiency: pathophysiology, diagnosis and management

Patients with adrenal insufficiency are at risk of life-threatening adrenal crises. It is vital that pharmacists know how to treat this rare condition appropriately.…

Everything you need to know about NICE’s decisions on ‘game-changing’ Alzheimer’s drugs

In August and October 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence issued a decision not to recommend two new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease that experts had previously welcomed for their disease-modifying effects. We explain the reasons behind their decisions.…

Number of dispensed HRT prescription items increased by a fifth in 2023/2024

NHS Business Services Authority data also show an increase in the number of patients prescribed HRT in England, from 2.3 million in 2022/2023 to 2.6 million in 2023/2024.…

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.…

National pharmacy board meetings: September 2024

An overview of the latest open meetings of the national pharmacy boards.…

Scottish government to replace paper prescriptions by 2026

The ‘Digital prescribing and dispensing programme’ is aimed to introduce an advanced electronic signature that will replace the wet signature on prescriptions.…

Electronic prescription service used to dispense 100,000 items

Digital Health and Care Wales said the 100,000th medication was dispensed in Boots Old Colwyn in Conwy, North Wales.…

One-third of adult social care providers say medicines support from community pharmacy has improved over past year

Respondents to the Care Quality Commission survey said they typically received advice from community pharmacy on medicines side effects, over-the-counter medicine and safe medicines administration.…

The unregulated semaglutide prescribing circus

Why there should be stronger regulations around the prescribing of semaglutide, speaking from experience as a trainee pharmacist supplying this medicine from a community pharmacy in central London.…