Patient safety

Paediatric arrhythmias: pathophysiology, types and pharmaceutical management 

While many arrhythmias in children are harmless, it is vital to distinguish between the different types to ensure that potentially harmful ones are identified early and treatment plans are optimised for the patient.…

Coroner calls for government to take action on supply of medicines online

Isabelle Thistlewaite's report investigated the death of Nigel Dixon following an overdose from two controlled drugs — morphine and zopiclone — the latter of which was purchased online.…

Semaglutide linked to sight-threatening eye condition, study results suggest

Researchers used data from nearly 17,000 patients to examine whether semaglutide prescriptions were associated with increased risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, or who were overweight.…

MHRA introduces new safety measures for use of topiramate in pregnancy

Under the new measures, women of childbearing potential must use highly effective contraception, have a negative pregnancy test and be made aware of the risks of the medicine before beginning treatment with the anti-seizure medicine.…

Optimising the pharmacy team to deliver effective medicines reconciliation during new patient registration

Medicines reconciliation contributes to patient safety and continuity of care during registration at a new primary care setting. This article explores how to optimise the multidisciplinary team and involve pharmacy technicians in the process, using four case scenarios.…

Scottish government passes law change to close gaps in regulation of independent pharmacist-run clinics

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Scotland who wish to provide an independent clinic must now register with Health Improvement Scotland.…

Pharmacists to be central in delivery of campaign to cut prescribing of high-risk pain medicines

NHS Fife's 'Pain Talking' campaign is aimed at giving patients better control over chronic pain management and promoting non-medical treatment.…

Pregabalin prescribing increases by almost 25% since restrictions imposed

Exclusive: Almost 670,000 patients in England were prescribed pregabalin when it was first reclassified in 2018/2019, compared with more than 820,000 patients in 2023/2024.…

Potency warning labels for topical steroids to be introduced following reports of adverse reactions

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said it had received 267 Yellow Card reports of withdrawal reactions from topical steroids in two years.…

Making skill mix a reality: the advancing role of pharmacy technicians

With pharmacy technicians’ responsibilities in the pharmacy team growing fast, debate around the additional training they need is resurging.…