Risk of heart problems prompts removal of OTC diclofenac from UK pharmacy shelves Oral diclofenac tablets, used for short-term pain relief, will no longer be available as an over-the-counter pharmacy medicine in the UK.…
Increased risk of severe skin reactions with expectorants containing ambroxol or bromhexinePatients taking expectorants containing ambroxol or bromhexine have a small increased risk of severe skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome.…
Helping reduce doctors’ prescribing errors in hospitals A study in 2009 found that prescribing error rates for junior doctors are around 9%. Education and training pharmacist Sophia Feret describes a scheme she devised to help reduce these errors.…
2014: The Pharmaceutical Journal’s news in review Looking back at some of the biggest news stories from the past year. …
Evidence still lacking for Ebola treatments, concludes European Medicines Agency Lack of evidence for seven investigational drugs being developed for the treatment of Ebola means it is impossible to make conclusions about their safety or efficacy.…
Government advisory board members concerned about removal of anonymity for error reportsCommunity pharmacists in England may face an increased risk of prosecution for a dispensing error because of changes made to their national contract, according to some members of a government advisory board.…
GlaxoSmithKline revises colour and labelling of Relvar Ellipta inhaler GlaxoSmithKline is changing the colour of its Relvar Ellipta inhaler from blue to yellow after respiratory health professionals warned that patients could be confused.…
Survey suggests US doctors are changing their prescribing habits for opioid drugsMany primary care physicians are less likely to prescribe opioids now than a year ago, according to a survey of US doctors.…
Q&A: Pharmacy regulation and the law Lawyer Noel Wardle, a partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, which specialises in business law, talks about UK pharmacy regulation and the threat of pharmacists facing prosecution for dispensing errors.…
Initial Fluad investigations find no manufacturing defectPreliminary investigations have found no manufacturing defect in the influenza vaccine Fluad, which has been linked to the deaths of 13 older people in Italy.…
