Healthcare provision

Many reasons why e-cigarettes should not be sold in pharmacies

In response to recent articles in The Pharmaceutical Journal and to add to ongoing discussions within the pharmacy profession surrounding the hot topic of electronic cigarettes, there are some points worth considering. The licensing of a medicine guarantees the quality, safety and efficacy of …

Major bleeding risk higher for dabigatran than for warfarin, study suggests

Research suggests that dabigatran is associated with a higher risk of bleeding compared with warfarin in a US population sample.…

Over one million smokers admitted to hospitals in England in 2010/2011

It is the first time researchers have put a figure on the prevalence of inpatients who are smokers in hospitals in England.…

UK drug advisory council warns against limiting duration of methadone therapy

Government drug advisers have rejected a proposal by government ministers to impose a time limit on prescribing methadone to heroin addicts.…

Putting the brakes on antibiotic use

The UK government should support calls from across the health service for national targets to reduce antibiotic prescribing, before resistance robs us of vital treatments.…

Teamwork will define the future NHS

Greater partnership between pharmacists and other health professions will be vital to delivering better care under the new five-year NHS plan, says Helen Gordon, chief executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.…

Community pharmacy vital to tackling antimicrobial resistance, summit hears

Commissioning community pharmacies to handle minor infections more often could help reduce dependence on antibiotics, conference told.…

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…