Hypersensitivity and allergy

Coroner issues warning after fatal penicillin treatment

The coroner’s report said hospital admission records showed no known drug allergies, despite the patient’s GP record stating an allergy to penicillin.…

MHRA approves first needle-free emergency treatment for anaphylaxis

EURneffy, a single-dose nasal spray, is approved for the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis in patients weighing 30kg or more.…

Almost nine in ten patients labelled allergic to penicillin had no allergy, study finds

The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, found that 88% of people with a penicillin allergy or sensitivity had their label removed from their medical records.…

NICE recommends first ever treatment for severe dust mite allergy

Results from clinical trials have revealed that 12 SQ-HDM SLIT benefits patients with dust mite allergy symptoms that cannot be treated with steroid nasal sprays or antihistamines.…

Our experience as pharmacists in ‘SPACE’

Three pharmacists describe their experience working on the multicentre SPACE study, which aims to tackle false penicillin allergy labels.…

Pharmacist coordinating UK participation in global penicillin allergy labelling study

Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust will be the first UK health service to join the ‘International Network of Antibiotic Allergy Nations’ study.…

Case study: an error with a medicine containing arachis oil

Many common pharmaceutical products contain refined peanut oil, which is contraindicated in patients with a known peanut allergy. This hospital pharmacy-based case study demonstrates the steps taken after a prescribing incident.…

Test yourself: the 2020 CPD and learning quiz

Take our quiz, with questions based on some of 2020’s best loved CPD and learning articles, and test your knowledge on a range of subjects from gene therapy to respiratory tract diseases.…

NICE updates anaphylaxis guidance to ensure patients carry two adrenaline injectors in response to coroner’s report

Healthcare professionals should always offer people with allergies a prescription for two further adrenaline injectors before discharge from hospital and advise patients to carry these with them at all times, updated guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has s…

Anaphylaxis: symptoms, causes and diagnosis

Anaphylaxis normally develops suddenly and can be fatal if not correctly identified and managed.…