National formulary will make shortages worse, suggests NPA chair Olivier Picard told delegates at the Community Pharmacy and General Practice Conference that a single national formulary could “restrict“ the entry of medicines into the country's market.…
Cost of prescription items dispensed in community increases by 4% in a year National Pharmacy Association chief executive says government must “step in to stabilise” workload pressure caused by rise in medication prices and prescriptions.…
NHS to start testing prototype of single national formulary in June 2026 Delegates at the Clinical Pharmacy Congress 2026 heard that the test phase of the single national formerly prototype will begin alongside the development of draft national guidance on local formulary standardisation.…
Health news round-up: public health, cardiovascular risk and take-up of new medicines on the NHS Our weekly summary of important developments in pharmacy and health news you may have missed.…
OTC medicines spend reduced for second year running Office for National Statistics figures show that real-terms spending on over-the-counter medicines in 2024 was £7.6bn, down from £8.1bn in 2023.…
Nasal decongestant spray use limited to five days The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said that the new rules follow reports of rebound congestion related to prolonged use.…
Weight-loss drug to be offered to patients at risk of stroke or heart attack In response to the new recommendation, sector leaders have called for the NHS to “mobilise the pharmacy network” as weight-loss medications are offered to an increasing number of patients.…
Drug–food interactions: pharmacological principles and management strategies A summary of the underlying pharmacological principles for common drug–food interactions, outlining practical management strategies that can be used with patients in clinical practice.…
London’s first drug-checking service could expand to more cities Under the drug-checking service, users can submit substances for testing and will subsequently receive “anonymous, non-judgemental chat”, alongside tailored harm reduction advice.…
Over-the-counter medicines are being purchased by children as young as 13 years, reveals survey Overall, more than half of the survey respondents had used over-the-counter medicines in a six-month period.…
