MedicalEnumeration

Government should publish national strategy to tackle medicines shortages, says RPS

In ‘Medicines shortages policy: solutions for empty shelves’, published on 26 November 2024, the Society makes 20 recommendations to alleviate ongoing medicines shortages in the UK.…

PJ view: Reshoring medicine manufacturing must be considered as an option for managing shortages

With the number of medicine shortages on the rise, the UK government and pharmaceutical industry must review the idea of reshoring supply chains to minimise the impact on patients.…

Pfizer and Flynn Pharma fined £69m for ‘excessive’ pricing of epilepsy drug

The Competition Appeal Tribunal has upheld the Competition and Markets Authority's 2016 decision that Pfizer and its distributor Flynn “were gouging the market” when the pricing of phenytoin sodium capsules resulted in costs to the NHS increasing from £2m in 2012 to around £50m in 2013.…

Chief pharmaceutical officers say it is ‘entirely reasonable’ for pharmacists to take position on assisted dying bill

A joint statement warned that the outcome of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill must not undermine provision of good end-of-life care and work by palliative care clinicians.…

Online prescribing based only on questionnaires ‘not acceptable’, says RPS

In response to draft guidance from the GPhC for distance-selling pharmacies, the RPS said a two-way interaction between the prescriber and patient must be available.…

NICE may be ‘systematically undervaluing’ medicines for severe conditions, says ABPI

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is urging the government and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to “show greater flexibility when assessing medicines for severe conditions”.…

Pharmacy owners vote to reduce services in protest against funding levels

In a ballot of National Pharmacy Association members, 98% of those representing pharmacies in England expressed a willingness to close outside the minimum hours required by their contract.…

How student internships are helping to build the future of pharmacy research 

Universities and hospitals in the north of England hosted six interns through collaborative multi-sector placements funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Coordinators of the internship programme explain how this has benefitted students and researchers alike.…

Over 40% of people with cystic fibrosis have experienced significant health problems resulting from PERT shortage

A survey carried out by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust revealed that 20% of patients are losing weight owing to a shortage in pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies.…

Smoking cessation drug to be provided on NHS three years after its withdrawal over carcinogen concerns

NHS England says generic varenicline could help more than 85,000 people stop smoking each year.…