DrugClass

Gonorrhoea is becoming more resistant to antibiotics

Resistance to antibiotics used to treat gonorrhoea is increasing in England and Wales, according to figures published in the 2013 Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance Programme (GRASP) report.…

Penicillin allergy rates may be wildly overestimated

A study finds 94% of participants wrongly believed they were allergic to penicillin.…

Public Health England reminds prescribers of effectiveness of antivirals for flu

Doctors have been instructed to prescribe antivirals for patients with severe influenza and not to be swayed by data showing that these drugs may not be effective.…

Call for NHS to reduce antibiotic use to 2010 levels

NHS must commit to national targets to use fewer antibiotics to halt the rise in antimicrobial resistance, according to a coalition of health professional bodies.…

Improving antimicrobial stewardship (video)

Anna Cichowska, consultant in public health strategy for NHS England and Mark Gilchrist, consultant pharmacist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust discuss the challenge of antimicrobial resistance and highlight key areas of concern.’…

Contaminated batches of Zovirax eye ointment recalled

Contaminated batches of Zovirax (aciclovir) eye ointment are being recalled after metal particles were found in an ingredient used in its manufacture.…

‘Encouraging’ reduction in Scottish antibiotic prescribing

Rates of antibiotic prescribing in Scotland are falling, according to a report from Health Protection Scotland that reveals a 6.5% decrease in antibacterial prescriptions.…

Improving antimicrobial stewardship

Improve your practice and slow the increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance that already cost around 25,000 deaths across Europe each year.…

Adding bevacizumab to triple therapy improves outcome in colorectal cancer

Patient outcome is improved when bevacizumab is given with a triple- rather than a two-drug combination in metastatic colorectal cancer.…

Diabetic wounds heal faster with deferoxamine patch

Researchers have developed a transdermal patch that delivers the small molecule deferoxamine to accelerate wound healing in diabetes.…