Prescription-only medicines

MHRA recommends that sildenafil is made available over the counter in the UK

Sildenafil — the prescription-only medicine branded as Viagra for the treatment of erectile dysfunction — could become a pharmacy (P) medicine if government proposals go ahead.…

Room for improvement with the new community pharmacy urgent medicine supply scheme

The new urgent medicine supply scheme from NHS England requires more thought and revision.…

Prescription Charges Coalition launches survey into long-term conditions

The Prescription Charges Coalition (PCC), a body of over 40 organisations including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), has launched a survey investigating the impact of prescription charges on people in England with long-term conditions. The PCC is calling for all those with long-term con…

Pharmacists in New Zealand can now prescribe the oral contraception pill to women

We have come a long way from the early days of the oral contraceptive pill, where the doctor would only prescribe it to women who were married, and then told them soon after that it was time to stop it and have babies. But in most countries we have not come far enough. The oral contraceptive i…

Changes to pharmacy supervision laws ‘will not be easy’, says chair of rebalancing board

Plans to change the law around pharmacy supervision “will not be easy”, especially in England, the chair of the government-appointed board set up to push through the reforms has warned.…

Consumers at risk from drug ingredients in herbal food supplements

Consumers are being put at risk from herbal supplements available over the counter that contain pharmacological ingredients not listed on the product label, according to research published in the Journal of the Association of Public Analysts .…

Australia tightens restrictions over codeine-containing medicines

Products containing codeine will no longer be available over the counter in Australia following a review by its medicine’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration.…

Doctors call for helpline to support people addicted to prescription drugs

Doctors have called on the UK government to set up a national telephone helpline for people addicted to prescription drugs.…

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.…

Patients needing urgent repeat prescriptions will be referred to pharmacies, not GPs

Patients who require urgent repeat medicines will be urged to see a community pharmacist rather than go to a GP or A&E department to take pressure off urgent care services under plans revealed by community health and care minister David Mowat.…