Research design

Interning at the National Institute for Health Research

Baguiasri Mandane and Lathishia JoelDavid share their experience of being an intern and a research mentor at the National Institute for Health Research.…

European Medicines Agency consults on guideline for first-in-human clinical trials

The European Medicines Agency is seeking views on changes made to its guideline governing first-in-human clinical trials.…

Assessing the safety of hormonal replacement therapy

Since the dawn of hormonal replacement therapy — now known as menopausal hormone therapy — there have been conflicting reports about its risks and safety. A thorough examination of the evidence suggests it can be used safely in menopausal women.…

Evaluating a point-of-care C-reactive protein test to support antibiotic prescribing decisions in a general practice

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of infection and inflammation. It is high in bacterial infections but very low or close to zero in viral infections. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), England and Wales’s health technology assessment body, has issued guidance on …

Let us make research our highest priority

With all the challenges the NHS is facing, we need to be able to demonstrate the quality and cost-effectiveness of what community pharmacy can provide. As such, it is great to see your editorial raising the profile of pharmacy practice research ( Pharmaceutical Journal 2016;297:128), whi…

Pharmacists should be trained to become clinical scientists, rather than researchers in pharmacy

Education and training should be provided for pharmacists so they have the opportunity to conduct research and contribute to translational research projects.…

Time to redefine pharmacy research

There is no universal definition of pharmacy research, and this may be one of the reasons for poor quality research in the sector.…

Assessing the impact of a targeted pharmacist-led anticoagulant review clinic

Local guidance, supported by the 2014 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline CG180 for atrial fibrillation (AF), recommends that patients receiving inadequate anticoagulation with a vitamin K antagonist (VKA), including time in therapeutic range (TTR) of <65%, should b…

Integrating community pharmacy testing for hepatitis C with specialist care

Many patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection lie undiagnosed and a significant proportion of patients that have been identified are disengaged from specialist services. The Isle of Wight (IOW) typifies this issue, with an estimated 200 undiagnosed patients with HCV infection and a small numb…

How full disclosure of clinical trial data will benefit the pharmaceutical industry

Disclosing clinical trial data is a step in the right direction towards transparency, which benefits both the public and the pharmaceutical industry.…