UK data confirm protective effect of statins against liver cancer A study using data from the UK has observed a protective effect of statins against liver cancer, an effect previously seen in countries with high rates of the disease.…
Atypical antipsychotics: overrated and overprescribed Atypical antipsychotics are being overprescribed and used inappropriately in many countries. It is time to reduce the practice of prescribing atypical drugs to treat a wide variety of mental distress.…
App wins infection control category of NHS Innovation Challenge AwardsA smartphone app that offers up-to-date antibiotic prescribing advice to hospital doctors has won the infection control category in the annual NHS Innovation Challenge Awards.…
Could pharmacists be part of the A&E problem? After hearing about a case where a pharmacist referred a child with a minor paracetamol overdose to A&E, Adam Pattison Rathbone wonders if pharmacists are equipped to be gatekeepers of the NHS.…
Reduction in antipsychotic use by dementia patients must continue, says CameronThe government wants to see a “significant” reduction in inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia in England in the next five years.…
Risk of unintentional overdose higher for long-acting opioids Patients taking long-acting opioids are more than twice as likely to overdose unintentionally than patients taking short-acting opioids, study finds.…
Researchers identify new anti-inflammatory compounds Two separate research groups have identified compounds that can inhibit components of the immune system that are involved in several inflammatory disorders.…
Infliximab biosimilars to launch in the UK as innovator product reaches patent expiryNapp Pharmaceuticals and Hospira will both launch biosimilars of Janssen Biologic’s Remicade in the UK after its patent expires on 24 February 2015.…
Inhaled corticosteroids: managing side effects Inhaled corticosteroids are commonly prescribed but need careful management to minimise the risk of side effects.…
Information sheet helps educate isotretinoin users about effective contraception Researchers evaluated the impact of an information sheet on contraceptive knowledge in women taking the acne drug isotretinoin.…