Medicines legislation

Brexit could delay introduction of new cancer drugs by up to two years, experts warn

Patients could have to wait up to two years longer to access new cancer drugs after the UK leaves the EU, because drug companies will prioritise winning approval for access to the larger European market, experts have warned.…

No more delays with rebalancing medicines legislation and pharmacy regulation

We need fewer empty promises and more action and progress with rebalancing medicines legislation and pharmacy regulation — particularly around dispensing errors.…

Irresponsible to allow technicians to do clinical checks

The Rebalancing Medicines Legislation and Pharmacy Regulation Programme Board, established by the Department of Health to ‘rebalance’ pharmacy legislation and regulation, is expected to meet again in late January 2017. Among the laudable stated aims of the rebalancing board is to r…

Pre-exposure prophylaxis should be a key component of a comprehensive HIV prevention package fully funded on the NHS

Pre-exposure prophylaxis is the medication taken by HIV-negative individuals to reduce their risk of contracting HIV infection.…

What is the Falsified Medicines Directive?

Aileen Bryson, practice and policy lead at RPS Scotland, speaks to Julia Robinson about the purpose of the Falsified Medicines Directive and how it will affect pharmacists in the UK.…

Covert administration of medicines in care homes

Pharmacists and healthcare professionals should be familiar with covert administration of medicines, a complex process requiring multidisciplinary assessment, to ensure its appropriate use in care homes.…

The future of the UK post-Brexit

Two months on from the referendum vote to exit the EU, English Pharmacy Board member Sid Dajani puts forward his ideas on the potential impact on medicine and what the RPS should be doing to minimise the fallout.…

Medical marijuana saves health system money

Introduction of medical marijuana legislation linked to decrease in prescriptions for other medicines, saving US$165.2m per year, researchers discover…

Decriminalisation of dispensing errors law delayed to autumn

The legislation needed to decriminalise dispensing errors is unlikely to be laid before Parliament until autumn 2016 at the earliest, it has emerged. …

Pharmacy leaders cautious over UK government plans for hub-and-spoke dispensing

Government proposals to relax medicines legislation to allow greater use of centralised dispensing – also known as hub and spoke dispensing – have been cautiously welcomed by pharmacy leaders, although they warned it could pose a threat to the existing pharmacy network if the change was …