Chemist & Druggist articles from April 2005

Chemist & Druggist archives from April 2005

Discounted GSK prices lower than DT.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... GSK has significantly cut the prices of 25 of its branded POMs with many now priced considerably lower than the reimbursement price listed in the revised Drug Tariff. Prices for Zantac (ranitidine) Tablets 150mg and 300mg have been cut by...

Simvastatin price slashed again.
April 2, 2005... The Department of Health has again slashed the price of simvastatin in the new Drug Tariff, which came into effect on April 1. The new prices, which are listed as category M, will remove #300 million from pharmacists' retained purchase...

Crushing buprenorphine gives rise to liability issue, warns RPSGB.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Pharmacists who crush buprenorphine sublingual tablets prior to dispensing will have to assume some liability for their action because the product will be rendered unlicensed, the RPSGB has warned. Pharmacists need to be satisfied that...

ETP pilot sends 900 e-scripts.(electronic transfer of prescriptions)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... The GP surgery in the first electronic transfer of prescriptions pilot is sending 900 e-prescriptions per week, the DoH said. The single surgery pilot in Keighley, North Yorkshire, went live in February (C&D, March 5, p4), and sends...

IN BRIEF: Script refunds.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Guidance on processing prescription charge refunds through community pharmacies has been issued by the DoH and the Prescription Pricing Authority. The main change is a requirement for pharmacists to record any evidence of patient exemption...

IVAX follows GSK with discount cuts on 13 lines.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... IVAX has stopped offering discounts on 13 of its branded products but increased discounts for other medicines in a bid to remain competitive following a similar move by GSK. Discounts will be removed from Beclazone Easi-breathe, Cromogen...

OBITUARY: Naresh Patel.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
April 2, 2005... Naresh Patel, founder of the Colorama photoprocessing company, has died aged 63, the company has announced. He suffered a heart attack in India on March 10. The company added: "Naresh Patel is widely credited with revolutionising the...

PCTs `should pay for lost oxygen cylinders'.(primary care trusts)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Primary care trusts, not pharmacists, should pay for "missing" oxygen cylinders, the National Pharmaceutical Association has said. Although pharmacy oxygen contractors are obliged to provide oxygen when prescribed, they are not expected to...

Moss has confidence in benefits of a single brand.
April 2, 2005... Moss Pharmacy is confident that changing its well-known, long-standing name to Alliance Pharmacy is the way forward (C&D, March 26, p4). Founded by Edgar Moss in 1915, the company has over 880 pharmacies in the UK but about half are still...

Avicenna reports #1m profits.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Pharmacy development group Avicenna has reported gross profits of over #1 million, following its 12th successive year of growth. At the buying group's annual conference in Sorrento in Italy last weekend, Avicenna finance director Shiraz...

Incentives for Welsh GPs to improve prescribing.
April 2, 2005... A working group has proposed a national prescribing incentive scheme (NPIS) to promote quality and cost-effective prescribing in Wales. GP practices would be awarded points based on prescribing targets and on participation in education and...

MSD in bid to protect innovator companies.(Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... A drug company has launched a legal challenge against the medicines licensing authority's decision to amend its policy regarding the period of protection that innovator companies have for clinical data. Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd claims the...

Julie Sinclair receives medal.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Julie Sinclair has received the Glasgow and West of Scotland Branch medal for top student of 2003-04. Julie is carrying out her pre- registration year at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and intends to return to Strathclyde, after she has...

United Co-op results.(United Co-op Healthcare)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... United Co-op Healthcare has passed the 10 million prescriptions a year mark for the first time. Announcing "a year of major progress", the group saw sales rise 9 per cent to #131 million for the year ending January 22. The group...

Pharmacy treatment of chlamydia popular with men.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Offering chlamydia treatments in pharmacies may help improve male sexual health, a project has shown. Led by the Men's Health Forum, the initiative targeted 4,000 young men in workplaces in Telford, Shropshire. All were offered free...

Clarification: RPSGB.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Correction Notice)
April 2, 2005... The RPSGB has asked us to point out that the Council agreed proposals in June 2003 for a Disciplinary Committee to replace the Statutory Committee (as part of a new disciplinary machinery, to be established when the section 60 order comes into...

Society in Scotland agrees public affairs plan.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Sexual health and prescription charges are two priority areas of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Scottish Executive new public affairs plan. In addition, the plan sets the next steps in the development of services; and representation of...

NHS failing to capitalise on medical technology.(National Health Service)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... The UK's slow adoption of new medical technologies is putting patients at risk and not providing the NHS with value for money, MPs have been told. A lack of clinical involvement in the buying process and the fact that lowest price is...

Innovate for future success, says Shire boss.(Shire Pharmaceuticals')(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Large pharmaceutical companies will only survive if they stop merging and break down into smaller divisions to become more innovative, Shire Pharmaceuticals' chief executive has warned. In a keynote speech at the Economist Annual...

RPSiS calls for review of methadone policies.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... The Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland has called for NHS Boards to review and incorporate best practice into their methadone policies. Measures the RPSiS would like adopted include ensuring all pharmacies offering methadone services...

Diabetes teams lack pharmacists, says SPF.(Scottish Pharmaceutical Federation)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Community pharmacists should be part of the wider diabetes team, the Scottish Pharmaceutical Federation has told the Scottish Health Department. The new pharmacy contract will offer opportunities to plan and deliver multidisciplinary...

Openshop: Blame Shipman, and him alone.
April 2, 2005... Pharmacist Ghislaine Brant was last week exonerated in the Shipman case. An expert witness to the Inquiry, Nigel Morley comments Mrs Brant has been totally cleared by the RPSGB's Statutory Committee. Lord Fraser of Carmyllie rejected...

PAGB PERSPECTIVE: Prescription for turmoil?
April 2, 2005... Pharmacist prescribing in the community will not be straightforward, suggests Sheila Kelly, executive director of PAGB New pharmacy contracts, continued professional development, re- accreditation, practising and non practising...

Comment from the Editor.(Editorial)
April 2, 2005... April has started and with it the new NHS pharmacy contract in England and Wales. It's not all plain sailing, though. Of more concern to contractors are the changes to drug prices. GSK Pharmaceuticals set the ball rolling just a month ago...

Letter: IVAX says it has been forced into action.(Letter to the Editor)
April 2, 2005... In order for us maintain our competitive edge we have made market price reductions of up to 48 per cent on a range of key products, including beclometasone and salbutamol MDI's from our respiratory portfolio. This new pricing initiative...

BlackBAG: Nothing smaller than your elbow.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Speaking at a conference on GP communication, I tried hard to catch the question from a delegate at the back of the room. Being hard of hearing and sporting an NHS digital hearing aid, only the words "communication", "GPs" and "bad" came...

Crohn's and anorexia confusion.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Children who are very thin because of Crohn's disease are sometimes being wrongly thought to be suffering from anorexia, a paediatrics expert has said. This incorrect diagnosis can result in delayed treatment for young people, Birmingham...

Scriptlines: Quinil tabs.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Tillomed Laboratories has launched Quinil tablets (quinapril). Available in 5mg, 10mg, 20mg and 40mg strengths, the product is indicated for the treatment of essential hypertension, either as monotherapy or as an adjunct to diuretics. In...

Scriptlines: Stoma care products.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... CliniMed has introduced a new range of Welland stoma products called Curvex Drainable with integral closure. Available in medium and large in packs of 30, pouch sizes range from 13mm to 44mm. The launch is accompanied by the introduction of...

Scriptlines: Sanofi Pasteur.
April 2, 2005... Sanofi Pasteur MSD (formerly Aventis Pasteur MSD) has advised that all vaccine orders and queries should now be directed to the company's Maidenhead office. The full address is Mallards Reach, Bridge Avenue, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1QP....

Fruit lubricant for UK pharmacies.(Sylk Ltd )(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... A natural personal lubricant made from kiwi fruit in New Zealand is being introduced into pharmacies in the UK. Sylk is formulated to alleviate atrophic vaginitis (vaginal dryness) by stimulating natural secretion. It is water based,...

Freederm is right on the spot.(Dendron Ltd launches Freederm Gel )(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Dendron is launching a pharmacy-only anti-inflammatory topical treatment for mild to moderate acne. Freederm Gel is formulated to target the inflammatory process responsible for acne, spots and pimples. The gel contains nicotinamide,...

Get plastered with a princess.(skin care products)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Beiersdorf is introducing a range of plasters especially designed to appeal to little girls. Elastoplast Disney Princess Plasters feature illustrations of four Disney princesses - Belle, Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. The...

Numark takes natural approach to head lice.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Low cost travel insurance PLUS great holiday discounts and so much more Numark is launching a natural own-brand product for the removal of head lice. Numark Head Lice Removal Kit comprises a tea tree and neem oil conditioner together...

Leafy look for kids' natural remedies.(sugar free teething remedy)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Nelsonbach is relaunching its Nelsons Teetha sugar-free teething remedy and Sootha Children's Cough Syrup with a new look. New packaging for the homoeopathic remedies features a simple leaf symbol with the word `natural' now positioned...

Ahava gives pharmacy a helping hand.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Ahava is introducing a special pharmacy promotion for its Source Mineral Hand Cream. A compact counter top display unit containing 15 creams is available at a discounted trade price of #78.75 plus VAT. Made from Dead Sea minerals and...

Nicotinell sponsors QUIT awards again.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... For the third year running, Novartis Consumer Health's Nicotinell brand is joining forces with QUIT, the charity dedicated to helping people stop smoking, to host the QUIT Awards 2005. In addition to the Quitter of the Year Award, there...

Simple goes soft on babes.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... The Simple Baby range is being extended this month with six perfume and colour-free skincare products for babies. Especially formulated for a baby's delicate skin are Moisturising Lotion Spray, Moisturising Cream and Moisturising Oil Mist...

Sexy legs from Rimmel.(Coty (UK) Ltd launches)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Coty is launching an instant tan make-up especially for legs into its Rimmel London range. Sunshimmer Sexy Legs is formulated to be applied smoothly like a body lotion, giving the legs a shimmering sunkissed look which washes off easily....

Nurofen Plus fires creative shots.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Nurofen Plus will be on TV with two new commercials in a creative two- week campaign targeting young women aged 16-34 from April 4. A 20-second commercial is a 2-D animation showing a black pulsating cube covered in spikes. A silver ball...

Tune into Zanprol campaign.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Radio listeners in London, Scotland, Birmingham and Lancashire are being targeted with a #455,000 Zanprol campaign from April 7-25. The commercial uses humour to demonstrate how listeners can have weeks free from recurrent heartburn, with...

SURVEY: Know your customer.
April 2, 2005... Over the counter medicines and self-diagnostics sales are worth over #2 billion but the public are not consulting pharmacists more than a decade ago, according to the latest Mintel report. In fact, pharmacy consultations are down... In...

OPENSHOP: A diary of disappointment.
April 2, 2005... Frank Owens, chairman of the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council, sets out a personal perspective on GSK Pharmaceuticals' recent activity and its potential impact on Scottish pharmaceutical service provision It's been a frustrating few...

AVICENNA CONFERENCE: Finding a voice.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Independent pharmacies are in danger of being overlooked, heard delegates at Avicenna's annual conference in Sorrento, Italy. Asha Fowells reports A new organisation representing the independent pharmacy sector should be established,...

BRAND FOCUS: GlucOsamine Gel Patch - a unique formulation.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Glucosamine is widely associated with joint health and plays an important role in the smooth working of joints. It is now available in a unique gel formulation developed by Health Perception and the University of Brighton Department of...

AVICENNA CONFERENCE: GPs must work with pharmacists.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Doctors' organisations must do more to encourage GPs to engage with pharmacists, the British Medical Association General Practitioners Committee's immediate past-chairman said. John Chisholm said the GPC, College of General Practitioners...

AVICENNA CONFERENCE: Avicenna members to benefit from new services.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2005... Avicenna has announced a new support package for members which includes training, business services and financial planning. One of the first training opportunities members will be offered will be on medicines use reviews, said Avicenna...

OUT AND ABOUT: Watch this space.(opinion of pharmacist about watches)
April 2, 2005... A #1,100 profit on a Rolex Daytona watch is pretty impressive but little did pharmacist Imran Khan know it would set him on the way to becoming an international watch expert, reports Vikki Miller "My family think I'm loopy," says Imran...

Health strategy plan published.
April 9, 2005... The pharmaceutical public health strategy for England was launched last week, outlining pharmacists' role in the "health-promoting NHS" described in last year's Choosing Health White Paper. In addition to setting out how pharmacists and...

Asking for views.
April 9, 2005... The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is asking for views on how public health guidance should be produced. The full document is available at www.nice.org.uk/publichealthconsultation and the consultation period ends on June...

Asda first with 100-hour openings.(ASDA Group PLC)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Less than 24 hours after the start of the new control of entry regulations, Asda has announced plans to open three 100-hour pharmacies. Backed by a #5 million pharmacy opening strategy, the supermarket giant has also revealed that it could...

DoH promotes APMS contracts.(Department of Health )(Alternative Provider Medical Services )(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The Department of Health is planning to push Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) as a route for commissioning local contractors, in a strategy rumoured to be backed by a #4 million budget. Guidance for PCTs wishing to use APMS over...

PSNC faces oxygen setback.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The Department of Health will not fully reimburse the cost of new headsets currently being purchased to meet the needs of oxygen patients, PSNC has said. The news came during a meeting last month on claims for compensation over domiciliary...

IN BRIEF: Contract days.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee)
April 9, 2005... PSNC is holding two one-day conferences offering practical guidance on implementing the new contract. The first will be at London Heathrow on April 17, and the second in Bradford on April 24. For more information on the London day,...

IN BRIEF: PSNI fees up.(Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will increase its fees by 45 per cent from June 1, 2005. Registration fees will go up from #150 to #217 and from #100 to #145. Restoration fees have increased from #57 to #87. ...

IN BRIEF: RPSiS election.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland )(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Eight candidates are standing for election to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Scottish Executive. Christine Bond, Michele Caldwell, David Dalglish, Christine Gilmour, Josephine Johnston, Rose Marie Parr, David Thomson and Angela Timoney...

IN BRIEF: Welsh advice.(Community Pharmacy Wales)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Welsh contractors must give local health boards their opening hours and the days and times they are open under the new contract by July 1, Community Pharmacy Wales has said. The guidance reflects PSNC advice (C&D, March 19, p8) and covers...

Category M fears plague start of new contract.(pharmacy contract's regulations)
April 9, 2005... Day one of the new pharmacy contract has been overshadowed by concerns over the new Drug Tariff prices and the news that new oxygen headset purchases will not be fully reimbursed, Westminster pharmacist Prakash Mahtani has said. Health...

IN BRIEF: Diazepam update.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Diazepam is to be added to the list of products that can be ordered for dispensing by instalments from April 14. Currently this facility exists for buprenorphine and Schedule 2 Controlled Drugs. PSNC points out that the instalment...

IN BRIEF: Stoma fee changes.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... New fees for dispensing stoma and incontinence appliances and suprapubic belts have come into effect. From April 1, when appliances are ordered with spare parts or accessories, pharmacy contractors will receive one professional fee per...

IN BRIEF: Obesity guidance.(www.rpsgb.org/practice)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has issued practice guidance on obesity management. It is available at www.rpsgb.org/practice. The guidance includes information on the nature of obesity, its prevention and management, and details of commercial...

IN BRIEF: Contract advice.(Cambrian Alliance )
April 9, 2005... Cambrian Alliance is holding members' meetings on April 19 at the AAH depot in Bristol, and on April 20 at Swansea's Marriott Hotel. For more information, contact Cambrian Alliance on 01792 791798. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

MPs call for curbs on the promotion of medicines.
April 9, 2005... MPs are calling for a restriction on how medicines are promoted after concluding the pharmaceutical industry "has been left to its own devices for too long". The House of Commons Health Select Committee is also calling for all medicines...

President urges support for Society devolution.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Royal Pharmaceutical Society president Nicholas Wood has urged the profession to support the devolution proposals within the Society. With a new Charter in place and a new Council with a significantly increased lay representation on it due...

Ranbaxy stumps up #4.5m to DoH in price-fixing case.
April 9, 2005... Ranbaxy UK has paid the Department of Health #4.5 million to settle claims that it acted in an anti-competitive manner in connection with the supply to the NHS of generic drugs between 1996 and 2000. The payment has been made on a full and...

Scottish ZD list will not be endlessly amended.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The Scottish Executive Health Department has told Scottish pharmacists that it has no intention of constantly amending its list of Zero Discount items. Despite GlaxoSmithKline's recent changes to its trading terms, the SEHD has made clear...

London contract funding concerns may end in court.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Camden & Islington LPC has indicated that it is prepared to seek legal redress over the funding structure of the new pharmacy contract. As part of its campaign to publicise the threat to small pharmacies from the new contract, the LPC is...

Rosie Winterton has blood pressure tested.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Health minister Rosie Winterton has her blood pressure tested during a visit to a new branch of Moss Pharmacy in Lowestoft by Charles Hartshorne, area development manager for Moss Pharmacy, under the watchful eye of Bob Blizzard, MP for...

Boots sells non-core businesses.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The Boots Group is believed to have started marketing a #300 million portfolio of smaller stores for sale and leaseback. The company would not confirm that it would be selling the stores, nor how many would be involved as C&D went to press,...

No-bias rules take over as CSM duties transfer.(Committee on Safety of Medicines)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Medicines regulators are aiming to stamp out any possible criticism of bias by setting out new rules on members' interests. From November 1, the duties of the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Commission will transfer to...

PCTs will struggle with new control of entry rules.(primary care trusts)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... PCTs are likely to find new control of entry regulations hugely burdensome because they are much longer and more complex and only limited guidance is available, a leading pharmacy lawyer has said. The new regulations come into force at the...

Adverse device reports soar.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The number of adverse incident reports on devices has increased 40.3 per cent over the past six years, and in 2004 totalled 8,840, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has reported in the 2004 Device Bulletin adverse incident...

Elan MS drug linked to deaths.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Irish pharmaceutical company Elan has confirmed that its MS drug Tysabri (natalizumab) has been linked to two patient deaths. The latest was a patient who was participating in a Crohn's disease clinical trial. It was first thought the...

Factsheet for gout sufferers.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The UK Gout Society has launched two new factsheets for sufferers, relatives and carers. Covering diet and treatments, the advice leaflets have been launched to coincide with the preparation of national gout guidelines by the British...

Resistance data in SPCs.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Around 70 pharmaceutical companies have provided the German drug regulatory agency with bacterial resistance data for their older antibiotics, a medicines publication has reported. The information may be included in the medicines' SPCs,...

DTB article on statin evidence `unbalanced'.(Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin)
April 9, 2005... McNeil Ltd has hit back at the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin for an "unbalanced" article which claimed the POM to P switch of simvastatin 10mg was not based on robust clinical evidence. The company says the negative tone of the article is...

CCA COMMENT: The importance of getting MURs right.(Company Chemists' Association)(medicines use reviews)
April 9, 2005... Neil Slater, head of operations at the Company Chemists' Association, is anxious to see medicines use reviews succeed The new contract journey has begun. The start line has been crossed and from now on it is going to be a journey of...

Some flexibility over EU directive?(food safety)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... The European Courts of Justice's Advocate General has issued an "interim opinion" on the Food Supplements Directive. He says that, while the establishment of a positive list of vitamin and mineral ingredients is valid, there are...

COMMENT FROM THE EDITOR.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
April 9, 2005... As a parliament draws to a close, the government machinery steps up a gear as desks are cleared, documents published and legislation completed. This time has been no exception. The pharmacy public health paper is to be welcomed, but it is...

Opinion: IVAX and GSK altering their discount structure.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... Our question to pharmacists this week was: How do you feel about IVAX and GSK altering their discount structure? "It's bullyboy tactics. There's no doubt pharmacists will lose money and it could well be the start of lots of companies...

Weak link in the supply chain.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... David Coles urges manufacturers to consult wholesalers more As wholesalers we accept that change has a major role to play in the nature of our business; in fact, we actively strive to accommodate and embrace it. Momentous changes, such...

HOSPITAL REPORT: What a job, describing what we do.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... This month has seen every pharmacy department in Scotland trying to sort out job descriptions for their staff. While the majority of posts do have job descriptions already, many of them are out of date and few are understandable to anyone...

Unpredictable fallout from pricing war.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2005... It was inevitable that other manufacturers would follow GSK's lead and remove discount from their branded products in order to fund competition with the generic companies. IVAX is the first, but I expect others to follow. After all, who's going...

The service provision lottery.
April 9, 2005... One of the strengths of PCT funding is the regional variation, because local services should be provided to meet local needs. There is, however, always the danger of `postcode' provision unless there is some degree of centralised control. ...