Healthcare provision

Fatal case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy linked to Tecfidera

A fatal case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy has been reported for the first time in a patient receiving dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera).…

Wales will not have a Cancer Drugs Fund, health minister says

Wales will not have a Cancer Drugs Fund, despite a 98,000-signature petition calling for equity of access to cancer drugs for patients in England and Wales being handed to the Welsh Assembly on 5 November 2014.…

Q&A: Pharmacy over-the-counter products help consumers take responsibility for their own health

Gopa Mitra, outgoing director of health policy and public affairs at the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, which represents manufacturers of non-prescription medicines and food supplements, explains that self-selection of pharmacy medicines will not affect patient safety, and consi…

Biomarker test could help reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing

Point-of-care testing for a biomarker of bacterial infection would help to limit unnecessary antibiotic prescribing by GPs, suggests a systematic review.…

A good student does not necessarily make a good pharmacist

We wish to offer a different perspective on the recent decision by the government not to cap pharmacy student numbers ( The Pharmaceutical Journal 2014;293:412). There is a view among some people that not enforcing a cap is a mistake (2014;293:490). In turn, this means the com…

IPCC report calls for action to limit health impacts of climate change

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms — with 95% certainty — that human influence on the climate is growing.…

Pharmacy COPD-screening could save the NHS £264m

Community pharmacies can help identify undiagnosed cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at an early stage, which could result in savings of around £264m per year, a pilot study suggests.…

Things will only get worse for pharmacy students

I agree with Ryan Hamilton’s letter ( The Pharmaceutical Journal 2014;293:463) which expresses concerns about the potential lack of pre-registration placements for the increased number of pharmacy graduates. As a part-time university lecturer, I have talked to fourth-year…

Pharmacists and clinical pharmacologists to collaborate following call for more consultant posts

Pharmacists and clinical pharmacologists are to look at how they can work together to improve patient care and increase the potential of medicines management to save NHS funds.…

NHS could save nearly £2bn through waste reduction and improved clinical practice

Around £2bn of savings could be made in the NHS through reducing waste and improving clinical practice, says a report by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.…