Regulators

The Great Nitrosamine Audit: how many more drugs will disappear from our shelves?

Several medicines have already fallen foul of the ongoing review into the presence of possible carcinogens and experts say it could pose “an existential threat” to many others.…

European regulator finds at least 20 medicines with significant nitrosamine contamination

Exclusive: The European Medicines Agency has said products identified as containing nitrosamine above acceptable levels will likely require a variation in their marketing authorisation.…

Medicines regulator approves UK’s first dual combination inhaler for mild asthma

AstraZeneca said the marketing authorisation meant its Symbicort Turbohaler 200/6 could be used by 2.7 million adults in the UK who live with mild asthma.…

Epilepsy charities call on government to immediately halt two-clinician sign-off for patients taking valproate

A coalition of epilepsy charities has said the decision is "totally out of proportion to the risks to patient safety".…

Negotiator urges government to allow pharmacies to cut opening hours by a third to manage cost pressures

A statement from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee sets out a range of regulatory easements to help pharmacies deal with financial and logistical pressures.…

Should all adults be considered for statin therapy?

A closer look at the arguments for and against the latest changes to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for statin therapy.…

Almost half of pharmacists have experienced abuse in the past six months, finds RPS survey  

Data from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's workforce wellbeing survey have revealed 44% of pharmacists have experienced physical or verbal abuse in the past six months.…

Employers should take ‘challenging situations’ into account if complaints are made about pharmacy staff this winter

The General Pharmaceutical Council and UK chief pharmaceutical officers have written to pharmacy teams to reassure them as the NHS faces huge pressures.…

Increase in overseas pharmacists applying to train to work in Great Britain

Exclusive: There have been 725 applications for the Overseas Pharmacists Assessment Programme since March 2022.…

Pass rate of 56% for November 2022 registration exam

Of the 937 candidates who sat the assessment, 525 passed.…