DrugLegalStatus

‘A wicked problem’: tackling variable access to urgent palliative care medicines

Despite national incentives and locally commissioned services designed to improve availability of critical end-of-life drugs from community pharmacies, access to urgent palliative care medicines remains a challenge.…

Using digital tools to support clinical pharmacist HRT reviews in primary care

A three-monthly review is recommended after starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to assess menopausal symptom control, side effects and bleeding patterns. These factors are also evaluated during an annual review, as well as any changes in medical history1. A programme was design…

Pharmacists recognised in New Year Honours List 2025

RPS member Alan Kurtz, RPS Fellow Laura McIver and Michelle Riddalls, chief executive of the PAGB, have been recognised for their services to pharmacy.…

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.…