Medicines

Ministers need a new approach to generic medicines

Despite underpinning the fight against COVID-19, generic and biosimilar medicines do not get the attention they deserve from the UK government.…

Pharmacists advised not to send medication direct to Ukraine

The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists is advising members and healthcare workers to make financial donations instead.…

How switching a handful of patients’ inhalers saved nearly 5,000kgCO2e

While switching inhalers may not be for everyone, reviewing patients who may benefit from a lower carbon device could have an enormous impact.…

Millions of patients with rare diseases to benefit from faster treatment access

NHS England and NHS Improvement have committed to several actions to support faster access to medicines for people with rare diseases and conditions.…

Government misses consultation deadline for post-Brexit scheme to detect fake medicines

The UK government aimed to issue a public consultation on a national falsified medicine scheme within 12 months of enacting the Medicines and Medical Devices Act on 11 February 2021.…

Some patients switched to ‘greener’ inhalers without consultation, say experts

Exclusive: Experts warn that non-consented inhaler switches pose risks to patients' health and advise physicians to carry out individual inhaler checks to avoid this.…

Spike in price concessions prompts concern over generic medicine supply issues

Exclusive: As the number of price concessions for generic drugs soared in January 2022, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committees has raised concerns with the government over supply issues.…

Switches to dry powder inhalers could halve carbon footprint, study results suggest

Patients switched to a dry powder inhaler produced 132kg less annual carbon dioxide equivalent than those using metred-dose inhalers, and had better asthma control.…

Depression omitted from new medicine service extension despite increase in antidepressant prescribing during pandemic

The new medicine service has been expanded to cover 16 therapeutic conditions but depression, and its associated use of antidepressants, has not been included.…

Minister urged to block takeover of inhaler manufacturer by tobacco firm

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has written to the government to express its concerns around the proposed takeover of inhaler manufacturer Vectura by tobacco company Philip Morris International.…