Pharmaceutical industry

Government plans to make nitrous oxide a controlled substance

Chris Philp, minister for crime, policing and fire, said the widespread availability of nitrous oxide, as well as a rise in reports of social and health harms from the substance, meant the government would control nitrous oxide under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.…

Novo Nordisk suspended from ABPI membership for two years

The pharmaceutical company breached the ABPI's code of practice by sponsoring a weight management course that was “clearly linked” to the promotion of its product Saxenda.…

Testosterone for menopause: why women face difficulties accessing treatment

GPs and specialist menopause clinics are overwhelmed with demand for testosterone to treat low libido in post-menopausal women; however, there are still no products licensed for women in the UK, leaving them to 'guesstimate' doses using male formulations or being forced to pay privately.…

Drug manufacturers propose 7% levy on company profits to replace existing voluntary scheme

The Department of Health and Social Care says the proposed new 'Voluntary scheme for pricing, access and growth' — through which manufacturers would pay a fixed levy of 6.9% on profits made from selling medicines to the NHS — would be "completely unaffordable".…

How COVID-19 affected pharmacy supply of antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections

Learnings from a community pharmacy patient group direction service for the management of suspected urinary tract infections, which identified prescribing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Generic manufacturers warn of reductions in medicine supplies to UK over tax rates

Mark Samuels, chief executive of the British Generic Manufacturers Association, said modelling suggested that 65% of member's branded generic lines would be considered for reduced supply.…

Two major drug manufacturers pull out of voluntary repayment arrangements with UK government 

A spokesperson for the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said companies are struggling to justify being part of the voluntary scheme.…

Shortage of cold and flu medicines increases pressure on pharmacies

Community pharmacists are claiming the current medicine supply system is broken, as price concessions reach record levels.…

Government admits ‘remote risk’ that drug manufacturers may withdraw supply following proposed tax increase

A proposed tax rise, from 24.4% to 27.5%, for manufacturers signed up to the statutory tax scheme for branded medicines would cause a "remote and limited risk" of companies withdrawing products from the UK market, the government has said.…

Public and pharmacist views on the appearance of and messaging on antibiotics to address inappropriate use

The main purpose of medicines labelling and packaging is to provide clear unambiguous identification of the medicine and the conditions for its safe use. This information, together with its format and style, is essential for minimising medication errors by enabling patients, carers and healthcare pr…