Chemist & Druggist articles from August 2008

Chemist & Druggist archives from August 2008

COMMENT FROM THE EDITOR: 02.08.08.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain )(Editorial)
August 2, 2008... Last week, RPSGB chief executive Jeremy Holmes told me of his surprise that a pharmacist he'd met wasn't clued up on the impending split of the Society's dual regulatory and leadership role. My reaction was far from dumbfounded - the...

GSK reveals distribution deal.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Industry disappointed as drugs giant pairs with AAH and UniChem Zoe Smeaton GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has signed a deal to distribute medicines to UK pharmacies exclusively through wholesalers UniChem and AAH. The arrangements will...

Novartis discounts at Phoenix.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Phoenix customers will receive an 8 per cent discount on all Novartis UK ethical products from next week, the wholesaler has announced. Novartis announced two months ago that it had selected wholesalers AAH and UniChem to distribute its...

Board chairs set out their stalls.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Pharmacy management)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... The new chairs of the RPSGB's Scottish and Welsh pharmacy boards have revealed their plans for the next 18 months exclusively to C+D. Scottish chair Sandra Melville wanted to remove barriers to implementing pharmacy prescribing and to help...

Professor accuses RPSGB of dodging homeopathy debate.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... An alternative therapy expert has accused the RPSGB of avoiding a debate on the ethics of pharmacists selling homeopathic medicines. Pharmacists were breaking the Society's code of ethics "on a daily basis", said Edzard Ernst, professor of...

IN BRIEF: Non-referral changes.(drug dispensing error)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... The RPSGB Council has agreed criteria changes for complaints not referred to the Investigating Committee. The "minor alterations" mean supply of date-expired medicines is included in the single, one-off dispensing error category for...

IN BRIEF: Wolves reaccredited.(MPharm course has been reaccredited )(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... The University of Wolverhampton's MPharm course has been re-accredited by the RPSGB. The university said the Society had confirmed that it had re-engaged with the accreditation process, and that there were no issues with the quality of teaching...

IN BRIEF: Thousands miss MAS.(minor ailments service)
August 2, 2008... Thousands of people are missing out on Scotland's minor ailments service, an NHS Board has warned. Just 8 per cent of the population covered by NHS Highland are registered with the service, with an estimated 123,000 eligible people in the area...

Wales home oxygen cost triple original estimates.(Report)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Audit report critical of contract and pharmacy could stand to benefit from findings Zoe Smeaton A damning report on the implementation of the home oxygen supply contract in Wales could be used to the profession's advantage,...

Oxygen report: key points.
August 2, 2008... The report made four key recommendations, saying the Assembly Government should: * be able to vary future similar contracts to mitigate risks * make provision for possible problems when planning timescales * oversee the...

RPSGB boss: join professional body and show commitment.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Pharmacists' commitment could come under question if they do not sign up to the new professional body, the chief executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has warned. In an exclusive interview with C+D, Jeremy Holmes said: "Are you...

EPS GUIDE: Part 4 Preparing for nomination.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... C+D has teamed up with the NPA to bring you one-minute guides to everything you need to know about EPS. In previous articles we have mentioned some of the technical issues pharmacy faces when implementing the electronic prescription service...

Pharmacy bodies being urged to lobby harder.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Industry representatives too concerned with keeping GPs on side, critics say Zoe Smeaton Pharmacy bodies are too concerned with protecting pharmacy-GP relationships and should be lobbying harder over issues such as dispensing doctor...

Knifemen attack store for cash.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... A pharmacist was left "very shaky" after an armed robbery at his Hertfordshire store. Contractor Ashley Cristal and an assistant were the only people in Cristals Pharmacy, Cheshunt, when two men with knives demanded money. The attack...

Anti-abuse campaign starts.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Pharmacists and pharmacy staff must not tolerate abuse from customers, the Scottish government has said. It has provided anti-abuse packs to Scotland's 1,200 community pharmacies, including posters to discourage customers from directing...

Pharmacist struck off for shoplifting clothes.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... "Opportunist" admits stealing clothing worth more than #800 in Debenhams A pharmacist has been struck off after stealing #852 worth of clothes from a Debenhams store in Oxford. Binta Yenwo, of Enfield, pleaded guilty to the offence at...

Dispensary Talk: 02.08.08.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Who's your favourite pharmacy minister of the past five years? "I tend to pay much closer attention to what's happening in Scottish government than in England. I'm impressed with Nicola Sturgeon (cabinet secretary for health and...

IT boost for NI.(information technology)(Northern Ireland)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... An electronic prescription service is to be opened up to pharmacists across Northern Ireland after a successful pilot phase. The electronic prescribing and eligibility system (EPES) - piloted in nine sites for the past eight months - is...

Sexual health services struggle under pressure.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Sexual health services have suffered under relentless policy reform and a lack of funding from financially strained PCTs, an NHS review has concluded. A Department of Health advisory group said access to services remained "patchy" seven...

LETTER: New body must be for pharmacists to avoid internal conflict.(Letter to the editor)
August 2, 2008... Most pharmacists seem to regard the RPSGB as at best irrelevant and at worst malevolent. However you see things, the split of the Society presents pharmacists with an opportunity to shape something different and better for themselves. The...

LETTER: Time for action on rural threat.(Letter to the editor)
August 2, 2008... Recently, PSNC spoke at the annual DDA conference and, from the reports I have received, it was like a lamb being gently led to slaughter. In my opinion, those rural doctors who provide a supply-only function of prescription-only medicines...

LETTER: People don't want polyclinics.(Letter to the editor)
August 2, 2008... The concept of polyclinics surely goes against the aims of the pharmacy white paper - just how do polyclinics make better use of our skills to deliver more healthcare services at a local level? Merging pharmacies into a polyclinic will stop...

LETTER: Category M reductions `disastrous' for all.(Letter to the editor)
August 2, 2008... The effects of category M reductions have been disastrous. At Green Light we have had to: * cut pharmacist hours, especially in the busier practices. Where before we had two pharmacists on to deliver services, now we have only one,...

LETTER: Pharmacy contract forces staff redundancies.(Letter to the editor)
August 2, 2008... Last year we had employed a semi-retired nurse as a dispenser (30hr) with a view to being able to offer community nurse-based services under the new pharmacy contract. Because of category M price reductions and a complete lack of...

LETTER: Let's hear it for Sandra Gidley.(Letter to the editor)
August 2, 2008... With reference to the recent article `GPs steal a march in COE debate' (C+D, June 28, p6) - what a delight to hear from Sandra Gidley MP. From the darkest depths of Worcestershire, where every dispensing doctor is pushing flat out to...

XRAYSER: Something for the weekend, young man?
August 2, 2008... Prior to the launch of Viagra, purchasing condoms was the most amusing aspect of Joe Public's visit to his local pharmacy. The bottom humour linked to piles cream and suppositories is now thankfully limited to unoriginal comedians and a few...

IRISH EYE: What negotiations?
August 2, 2008... Colleagues in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) are in a bit of a bind. They are finding it difficult to negotiate with the Health Services Executive (HSE), which is using bullying tactics to get a reduction in healthcare costs. For some...

PHARMACY UPDATE: Milk formulas for infants.
August 2, 2008... A guide to milk formulas: why there are so many and how they differ Key points * Standard formulas may be whey dominant or casein dominant. * Soya-based milks are the only choice for vegans but there may be a risk from...

CLINICAL NEWS: Antibiotic restricted.(moxifloxacin)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... The European drug regulator has recommended restrictions on the use of oral antibiotic moxifloxacin. The drug, which is used in acute bacterial sinusitis, community-acquired pneumonia and exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, should only be used...

CLINICAL NEWS: Stop smoking options.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Varenicline (Champix) is significantly more effective than nicotine replacement patches in the short-term, a study published in August's Thorax has found. The multinational study of more than 700 patients randomised to either the drug or...

CLINICAL NEWS: `No antibiotics' for common RTIs.(National Institute for Clinical Excellence)(Respiratory tract infections)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Nice has recommended a "no antibiotic prescribing" strategy for five of the commonest respiratory tract infections (RTIs) for nearly all patients. The advice comes after Nice found that one in four people will visit their GP each year...

CLINICAL NEWS: Gene test possible for statin side-effects.
August 2, 2008... A DNA test could be introduced to detect patients who might be at risk of the major side effects of high doses of statins used to treat cardiovascular disease, a trial in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests. A UK/French team of...

Clinical News: Nice insulin pump hope for kids under 12.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Thousands of children with type I diabetes could benefit from insulin pump therapy, after a reappraisal by Nice of existing advice. Nice now recommends children under 12, for whom daily insulin injections are not practical or appropriate,...

IN BRIEF: Recharging Duracell.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Battery brand Duracell is relaunching its rechargeable offering and has added the Pocket charger, Instant charger and Active charge cells in AA and AAA formats to the range. The company is also updating its alkaline battery offering,...

IN BRIEF: King on the road.(King of Shaves )(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... King of Shaves is promoting the launch of its first razor, the Azor, with a six-week roadshow. Already underway, the Azor Campaign Battlebus is at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent this weekend. Next stop is Birmingham city centre on August...

PRODUCT NEWS: Oxy changes its spots.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... The Oxy skincare range from Mentholatum has been relaunched with a new look designed to appeal to male spot sufferers aged 11-24. The new formulations were created specifically for the typically oily skin of young males. Research discovered a...

PRODUCT NEWS: Voltarol is boxing at a heavier weight.
August 2, 2008... Voltarol is increasing its GSL pack size with the switch from P to GSL for its Pain-eze Emulgel 50g pack. The switch offers pharmacies and supermarkets the opportunity to establish the Voltarol range with both Pain-eze Emulgel 30g and 50g being...

PRODUCT NEWS: Lanacane's TV return.
August 2, 2008... Lanacane anti-chafing gel is back on television this week in its second TV run this summer. Breaking on August 11, the campaign is running in all television regions for four weeks and is part of Combe International's #750,000 promotional plan...

BABYCARE: Rock-a-buy BABY.
August 2, 2008... It's easy for customers to be seduced by supermarkets' rock-bottom prices when it comes to baby necessities. Ann Shuttleworth explains how to compete by giving your pharmacy a point of difference What do new parents want from their local...

BABYCARE PRODUCTS: Bepanthen asks the expert.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Nappy ointment Bepanthen has recruited Dr Miriam Stoppard as brand ambassador. The childcare expert has been involved in a series of educational pieces in Mother & Baby magazine and a podcast for the Bepanthen website that has also appeared on...

BABYCARE PRODUCTS: Just desserts and milk from C&G.
August 2, 2008... Dairy desserts are newly available within the Nutricia Cow & Gate baby food range. Providing a quarter of a baby's daily calcium requirement, the desserts are free from artificial colourings, flavourings, preservatives and sweeteners, says the...

BABYCARE PRODUCTS: Top of the Tots - the top five best-selling.(Table)
August 2, 2008... Nappies 1. Pampers 2. Huggies 3. Own label 4. Premium own label 5. Nature Baby milks 1. SMA 2. Cow & Gate 3. Milupa 4. Farleys 5. Hipp Organic Wet baby foods 1. Hipp Organic 2. Heinz 3. Cow & Gate 4....

BABYCARE: Cough and cold comfort.
August 2, 2008... In March, new rules governing the sale of OTC cough and cold remedies to the under-twos were brought in. Emma Wilkinson investigates the changes Earlier this year, pharmacists were placed in the unenviable position of having to reassure...

PRODUCT NEWS: Think Nurofen for Children.
August 2, 2008... The recent review of the safety and efficacy of certain combination paediatric medicines means some products are no longer suitable for babies under two years of age. As an alternative, Reckitt Benckiser suggests recommending products from its...

PRODUCT NEWS: Updated packaging for Calpol.
August 2, 2008... October will see the launch of updated packaging to reflect the new advice from the MHRA on cough and cold products in the under-twos for Calpol Night, Calcold and CalCough Chesty. Support material for pharmacists and pharmacy assistants...

PRODUCT NEWS: Prebiotics in print.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Evidence supporting the inclusion of prebiotic oligosaccharides in infant milk has received a boost with the publication of a study in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers found the prebiotic mixture, when included in formula milk, reduced the...

PRODUCT NEWS: Countering colic.
August 2, 2008... The new Dr Brown's Feeding System offers a fully vented, vacuum-free feeding bottle, said to be an effective way of avoiding colic symptoms associated with regular bottles and teats. The design means no air is ingested during feeding, thereby...

PRODUCT NEWS: Online revamp for Kamillosan.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Kamillosan is celebrating its 75th anniversary by relaunching its website. The upgraded site includes advice on mother and baby topics, consumer competitions and a children's club. During 2008, the brand is benefiting from advertising in...

PRODUCT NEWS: MAM's BPA-free.
August 2, 2008... Baby equipment manufacturer MAM is hoping to reassure parents by highlighting the bisphenol A (BPA)-free status of its products. Work is underway on a BPA-free sticker for products and online advertising is running on www.askamum.co.uk. ...

PRODUCT NEWS: Sudocrem's small screen return.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Sudocrem begins a nationwide television advertising campaign this month. Running on digital and terrestrial channels from August 11 until September 7, the campaign focuses on the cream's benefits for treating nappy rash and flags up its...

PRODUCT NEWS: Organix covers all bases.
August 2, 2008... The Organix range of baby and toddler food has been extended with the launch of savoury pots. Six recipes are available, all made using organic ingredients, including Tomato & Haricot Bean Casserole and Pasta Stars with Bolognaise Sauce....

PRODUCT NEWS: Teetha website launches.(www.teetha.co.uk)(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Homeopathy specialist Nelsons has launched a website, www.teetha.co.uk, for parents of young children. As well as offering product details, Nelsons says the site provides information on dealing with common baby ailments, including teething,...

PRODUCT NEWS: Infacol open for entries.
August 2, 2008... Infacol has launched a Baby Bonding Award to recognise healthcare professionals who have helped parents bond with their baby. The award is aiming to raise awareness of many issues new mums face, such as post-natal depression and adjusting...

POSTSCRIPT: Pharmaplus champion.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Congratulations to Rajesh Amin, of Victoria Chemist, Banstead, who won first prize in the Stableford competition at the PharmaPlus annual golf day. Fifty five members, sponsors and guests enjoyed the day at Hertfordshire golf club in excellent...

POSTSCRIPT: Getting to the bottom of suncare.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... Lloydspharmacy has sent out a team of slappers to prey on unsuspecting builders across UK construction sites. But it's not quite what it sounds like. Dressed in Lara Croft-style outfits, the multiple's Slip Slop Slappers' mission was to...

POSTSCRIPT: Centenarians cut ribbons.(Brief article)
August 2, 2008... One hundred-year-old customer Mary Stephenson opens the refurbished Boots Chemist in Egremont, Cumbria, watched by staff, customers and joint store managers Alan Drysdale and Dorothy Pritchet. But Mary wasn't the only centenarian in Cumbria...

Comment from the Editor.(Editorial)
August 5, 2008... Over 100 pages long and with more than 60 recommendations as to what a future professional body for pharmacy should look like, the Clarke inquiry report was released this week (p6). Much of the content is eminently sensible: that the future...

Blueprint for healthy living.(health policy of Ben Bradshaw)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... More out-of-hours care and longer opening hours are part of the `healthy living centres' idea for pharmacy Colin Brown Ministers predicted that pharmacists would be "very happy" with the pharmacy white paper, which was due to be...

Pay details remain a mystery.(white paper promised to reward pharmacies)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... The pharmacy white paper is light on details about how much more the profession will be paid for extra health duties. The white paper promised to reward those pharmacies which invested more in developing their services. However, it did not...

No mystery shops to test law change, says RPSGB.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... As updated laws concerning the sale of nasal decongestants came into force this week, the Society reassured members that they would not send mystery shoppers to check up on pharmacies. David Pruce, RPSGB director of practice and quality...

IN BRIEF: Naproxen switched.(Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Naproxen 250mg tablets have been switched from prescription-only (POM) to pharmacy (P) status, the MHRA has announced. The tablets will be available under the brand name Feminax Ultra to treat period pain in women aged between 15 and 50 years....

IN BRIEF: Staged payments closer.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Pharmacists have come a step closer to being able to settle their retention fees in quarterly payments. The RPSGB Council has agreed draft legislative amendments to enable the staged payments, which would also apply to pharmacy technicians once...

IN BRIEF: Election places.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Eight candidates will fight it out for four spaces on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Council in elections to be held next month. A full list of candidates for Council and RPSGB national boards in England, Scotland and Wales is available at...

Prescription charges.(Nicola Sturgeon reduces prescription charges)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Scotland has reduced prescription charges. Health and wellbeing secretary Nicola Sturgeon announced the drop in fee from #6.85 to #5 at Craigton Pharmacy on April 1, the day England's charge rose to #7.10. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Crucial role for pharmacists in government health checks plan.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... #250 million screening programme will rely heavily on pharmacy access Max Gosney Pharmacists are set for a starring role in a #250 million programme to screen all over 40s for vascular diseases, the health secretary has revealed. ...

Lobbying power wins through.(services of pharmacists)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Industry bodies claimed a victory for lobbying power after the government promised a key role for pharmacies in delivering health checks. Westminster had bowed to pressure from industry bodies to include pharmacy in vascular risk...

Supplier talks continue with Alliance Boots.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Alliance Boots (AB) is locked in negotiations with some OTC suppliers over revised payment terms, which it was looking to impose from April 1. The stand-off follows the company's announcement that from April 1 it would pay suppliers 75...

Inquiry gives leadership baton to the Society.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... RPGSB `must not' develop professional body without help Zoe Smeaton The RPSGB should play a major role in the formation of a new pharmacy professional body, but must not do the job on its own. This is the conclusion of the Clarke...

DISPENSARY TALK: 05.04.08.
August 5, 2008... Will you be voting at the next RPSGB Council elections? "Probably not. There's a blurring about what's happening at the moment with the Society. And I don't know any of the candidates. The Society seems like a London thing to me." ...

The Clarke inquiry on.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain )(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... RPSGB offices: "There is nothing sacred about the location in Lambeth and we recommend an appropriate emphasis on Scotland and Wales and the English regions." Fees: "It is not for us to make recommendations about what the fee levels should...

Enough to give you a headache.
August 5, 2008... Heathrow's Terminal 5 manager has praised its Boots pharmacy team for coping with an influx of patients over its chaotic first weekend. The branch was called upon for emergency supplies after a baggage handling system failure and dozens of...

IN BRIEF: MUR support scheme.(Primary Care Pharmacists Association)(Medicines Use Review)(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... An MUR support and evaluation programme has been launched by the Primary Care Pharmacists Association and the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). Backed by Pfizer, the programme will create examples of good practice and provide evidence of the...

IN BRIEF: Nurofen Plus warning.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Simon Nelson, coroner of the North Manchester area, has told the inaugural meeting of the East Lancashire RPSGB local branch about lessons to be learned from the "Death by Nurofen Plus" case, over which he presided. Mr Nelson said similar...

IN BRIEF: Emergency registration.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Only the very recently retired and some pre-registration trainees or non-practising pharmacists should be automatically transferred to the practising register in the event of a national emergency, the NPA has warned. The NPA said that allowing...

IN BRIEF: Patient support survey.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Pharmacists in Wales, where annual patient satisfaction surveys are compulsory, have been offered help by the NPA. The association offers guidance notes including practical tips to help contractors comply with the obligation. Contact NPA member...

Pharmacists `in dark' over change to drugs guidance.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... MHRA regrets timing of news release on childrens cough and cold remedies Zoe Smeaton Pharmacists were left in the dark last week when MHRA guidance was reported in national newspapers before the profession had been informed. The...

100-hour data.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Ministers have revealed that the number of 100-hour pharmacy applications granted rose by more than two-thirds between 2005-06 and 2006-07. In response to questioning by Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness Mark Simmonds, the Department...

Core role in reducing inequalities.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
August 5, 2008... Avicenna chief executive and other conference speakers encouraged members to see change as an opportunity rather than a threat Pharmacy is "central" to reducing health inequalities in England, the country's deputy chief medical officer...

Use marketing techniques to improve public health.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Pharmacy should use marketing techniques to "sell" behaviour to improve public health, independent contractors have been told. Social marketing expert Professor Jeff French said the term meant "using marketing for the benefit of people...

Innovate to accumulate.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
August 5, 2008... Independent pharmacists must look forward and innovate in order to survive and thrive in changing circumstances, Avicenna conference speakers said. Chief executive Salim Jetha said: "The world is rapidly changing and we have to look not...

Independents can learn from the multiples.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Independent pharmacy should learn some lessons from the multiple model and outlook, contractors have been told. A recent survey of Avicenna members found 85 per cent were pessimistic about the future of independent pharmacy. But the buying...

Third sector key partner.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Pharmacists should develop links with local voluntary organisations to respond to their communities' health needs, RPSGB president Hemant Patel said. Just two conference delegates knew what patient groups existed in their areas. Mr Patel...

Buying group aims for 1,000-strong membership.(Brief article)
August 5, 2008... Avicenna aims to increase its membership from 700 to 1,000, newly- appointed chairman David Gration said. The buying group's strategy was to grow the business "both organically and through mergers and acquisitions", he said, although it...

Xrayser: The Tao of Pooh.(Modern Humanities Research Association)
August 5, 2008... Is this the beginning of the end for cough medicines? We know that some are not as effective as others, and last week's advice from the MHRA about their use in children (C+D, March 29, p7) highlights the potential harm. If we stopped...