Chemist & Druggist articles from December 2005

Chemist & Druggist archives from December 2005

DoH names new chief pharmacist.(Keith Ridge appointed)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The Department of Health has announced the appointment of Keith Ridge as the new chief pharmaceutical officer. Dr Ridge, who is currently director of pharmacy at the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, will join the...

Scots dispense repeats on PGD.(patient group direction)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Scottish pharmacists will be able to dispense in full repeat medicines to patients in urgent situations under a new Scotland-wide patient group direction (PGD). The PGD, published this week, means that patients registered with a Scottish...

Pharmacy could be `eyes and ears' for the NHS.
December 3, 2005... Community pharmacy could act as the "eyes and ears" for the NHS as part of the Government's plan for greater integration between health and social care services, pharmacy's professional body has suggested. As well as advising ill people,...

Stop press: Counterfeit drugs.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Three pharmacists were among 11 defendants to appear before Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday to face charges brought by the MHRA over counterfeit drugs. More next week. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Bayer appoints Jerry Hall.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Bayer has appointed the model and actress Jerry Hall to be its global ambassador for erectile dysfunction. She will "encourage men and women globally to `strike up a conversation' and openly discuss erectile dysfunction with each other and...

IN BRIEF: Pulmicort recall.(Star Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Star Pharmaceuticals is recalling all batches of Pulmicort Turbohaler (budesonide) 100mcg of licence number PLPI 20636/1321 due to potential differences in therapeutic effect compared with other Pulmicort 100mcg products on the market. ...

IN BRIEF: Lancing alert.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Health professionals who take blood samples from more than one patient should use either a lancing device intended for use by healthcare workers or a disposable single-use lancing device, the MHRA has warned. The announcement follows two...

Numark chief unveils master plan for 2006.(Simon Colebeck )
December 3, 2005... Numark chief Simon Colebeck has outlined his blueprint to boost the symbol group's popularity among independent pharmacists. A directory enquiries style pharmacy helpline, EPS solutions and four consultative pharmacy boards could be...

IN BRIEF: Merck cuts.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Pharmaceutical firm Merck is to dismiss 7,000 staff over the next two years as part of a bid to cut operating costs. Merck aims to save around $4 billion as part of a worldwide restructuring programme. The company employs around 1,900...

IN BRIEF: MUR pack.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The NPA has created a promotional resource pack to provide community pharmacies with extensive guidance and support in setting up a medicines use review service. The pack contains guidance on setting up the service, a draft SOP for...

IN BRIEF: Manage medicines.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... PSNC has launched a resource pack for pharmacists wanting to get involved in medicines management. Community Pharmacy Medicines Management - a resource pack for community pharmacists, includes practical advice on getting started as well as...

IN BRIEF: EC says oui.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Generics firm Teva has been given the green light by the European Commission to complete its $7.4 billion acquisition of IVAX. The deal is likely to be completed in late 2005 or early 2006, predicted Teva. Copyright: CMP Information...

Further action against dispensing doctors urged.
December 3, 2005... Rural dispensing in Wales should be more tightly controlled than in England, Community Pharmacy Wales has told the Welsh Government (WAG). Responding to the Welsh Assembly Government's (WAG) consultation into its control of entry...

Embracing IT is essential, pharmacists warned.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... A Nottingham pharmacist has highlighted the importance of IT for the future of the profession after a refit costing #100,000. Neil Rudolph, whose pharmacy has two computers and a laptop networked to the NHS, urged pharmacists to embrace IT...

NI prioritises its drugs bill in latest overhaul.(Northern Ireland)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... More efficient use of Northern Ireland's drugs budget is among the key aims of a red tape-busting rethink of the way health and social services are delivered in Northern Ireland. The strategic overhaul of the province's Department of...

New pharmacy body's aims will be refined.
December 3, 2005... Plans to form an organisation to champion the rights of independent pharmacy remain at an embryonic stage, attendees at the group's latest meeting have reported. The proposed Independent Pharmacy Federation (IPF) is making "steady...

Less red tape for OTC medicines, says Kennedy.(Jane Kennedy)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Health minister Jane Kennedy has pledged to reduce the `red tape' surrounding over the counter medicines with a working group to propose clearer regulations. Led by the MHRA, the group will determine what measures need to be in place to...

Chlamydia pilot.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Pharmacies in Manchester and Salford will supply chlamydia testing kits to women purchasing the morning-after pill as part of a university study from January. The University of Manchester study will screen 2,000 women asking for EHC in...

AAH leads round one of ETP rollout.(AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... AAH Pharmaceuticals' claims to be the first IT supplier to deploy a release one accredited ETP system into a non-implementer pharmacy site. AAH's LinkEvolution system, which has met NHS Connecting for Health's (CfH) technical requirements...

Lloyds MURs reveal asthma control issues.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Almost seven in 10 asthma patients reviewed by Lloydspharmacy pharmacists were referred back to their GP with uncontrolled symptoms, a survey of its medicines use reviews has revealed. The results come from a two-month, nine-branch trial...

Scots get extra #500 to support e-MAS service.
December 3, 2005... Each pharmacy contractor in Scotland is to receive an additional #500 towards the costs of upgrading their IT system in preparation for the rollout of the electronic minor ailment service (e-MAS) component of the new pharmacy contract. The...

Herts opens its doors to pharmacy students.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The school of pharmacy at the University of Herfordshire was officially launched last week by RPSGB president Hemant Patel. With an initial intake of 54 students, it is hoped the school will enable professionals to train and work locally,...

AAH ailment scheme is live.(electronic minor ailments service )(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... AAH has gone live with its electronic minor ailments service (e-MAS) system in Scotland. The IT supplier's LinkEvolution eMAS system is being tested at the Five Mile Pharmacy in Muirhead, Dundee, said AAH. The technology will allow the...

New code of ethics should complement the contract.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The proposed new RPSGB code of ethics should reflect the changes brought about by the new NHS, the new pharmacy contract and internet pharmacy, PSNC has said in its response to the RPSGB's consultation (C&D, October 8, p6). Furthermore,...

Call for seventh principle.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The NPA is urging the RPSGB to add a seventh principle to the new technician code of ethics. In its response, the NPA accepts that while the six core principles outlined in the new code also apply to technicians, the current proposals fall...

Welsh legislation due next Easter.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Regulations governing the future of pharmacy will be about a year late before they can be adopted in Wales. The Welsh expected to suffer a delay over England - October had been the expected date for implementation of the finer points of the...

Numark's 1,750th member.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... London pharmacist Chandrakant Patel has became Numark's 1,750th member. Mr Patel, who runs Murray's Chemist near Old Street, London, said he looked forward to "better deals and better support" as a Numark member. The pharmacy is equipped with a...

NPA concerned over IT shortfall.(National Pharmacy Association)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The National Pharmacy Association has expressed concern that contractors in England and Wales may not receive the full level of IT funding stated in the new contract. The DoH's #2,600 ETP payment per contractor for 2005-06 is "around half"...

YOUR VIEWS: Road charges will impact on health service delivery.
December 3, 2005... Government plans to develop road charge schemes need to take account of special service providers, argues Martin Sawer of the British Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers As the country's roads once more grind to a halt this winter,...

Comment from the Editor: Assisted suicide - your views?(Editorial)
December 3, 2005... Most people have a view on assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. Do you? Doctors and nurses do. They make decisions about what some would call `mercy killings' and others would describe as `helping people die'. But it seems pharmacists as...

Opinion: Flu vaccine shortage.
December 3, 2005... Our question to pharmacists this week was: Who do you think is to blame for the flu vaccine shortage? "The media makes people more worried, but it must be asked why the DoH does not have enough supplies" Aidzol Kallega, Gloucester ...

YOUR VIEWS: Balance needs to be redressed.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Simon Driver calls for clarification of Scottish IT funding Cegedim Rx has invested significantly in the Scottish ePharmacy programme. In doing so we have incurred significant costs for software development, testing and project management....

NORTHERN IRELAND NOTEBOOK: The trouble with GPs.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... In recent years community pharmacy here has progressed considerably. There have been useful additions to the range of services I can provide beyond my traditional dispensing service. Smoking cessation can bring reasonable income streams when I...

Struggling to keep up with the pace of change.
December 3, 2005... The pace of change in pharmacy practice seems to have accelerated from that of a dawdling snail to something driven by Michael Schumacher. My day to day work has changed little in the last 20 or 30 years, but today's new undergraduates could...

Let's talk about sex.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... If we can all talk about sexual health to our patients as freely as Raymond Hall (C&D, November 26, p34) then we should be able to talk to them about pretty much anything. This is partly a sign of the times, but also a reflection of the high...

C&D INTERVIEW: Sex and drugs and Dr Scholls.(Interview)
December 3, 2005... A year ago, Martyn Ward moved from being marketing director of UniChem to become managing director of SSL International UK. He talks to Charles Gladwin about his plans for the company Martyn Ward is enjoying his new role. "It's great fun,"...

PHARMACY UPDATE: Dealing with MRSA.
December 3, 2005... This article can help in the following CPD competencies: G1a, G1b, G1m, G1n,C2a. A list is available at www.uptodate.org.uk/home/PlanRecord.shtml In the last of a series of articles on basic bacteriology, Professor Jonathan Cooke describes...

Study shows patients will use injectables.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Patients who could benefit from injectable therapies are a lot less needle-phobic than doctors assume, according to research conducted by pharmacist and behavioural scientist Professor Robert Horne. The `Open Mind' study presented at the...

Short-term NSAID use doesn't up the MI risk.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Short-term use of NSAIDs does not increase the risk of a heart attack, the results of a large study appear to show. Taking the recommended dose of ibuprofen, diclofenac or naproxen for less than a year does not increase the risk of having a...

Scriptlines: Pletal 50mg launches.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Otsuka Pharmaceuticals has added Pletal 50mg (cilostazol) tablet to its portfolio. Pletal is indicated for the improvement of pain-free walking distances for patients with intermittent claudication, but no rest pain and no evidence of...

Scriptlines: SPCs update announced.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Alliance Pharmaceuticals has announced updates to SPCs for Distamine (D- penicillamine) film-coated tablets 125mg and 250mg and Meted Shampoo. The SPC for Distamine 125mg film-coated tablets now includes information on deterioration of...

More pasta from Juvela.(wheat-free pasta meal)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Juvela is introducing a new gluten-free and wheat-free pasta meal into its range. Juvela Gluten-free Tagliatelle joins Spaghetti, Lasagne, Fusilli and Macaroni varieties. It is available on prescription from December both for people with...

Clearblue test has improved.(Clearblue Fertility Monitor )(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Clearblue is launching a fertility test which screens for two hormones instead of just one. Clearblue Fertility Monitor should give women a more accurate method of pinpointing more fertile days. It tests for luteinising hormone (LH), which...

Nurses return to the screen.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The Night Nurse advert will be back on television this winter running from December 5 through to mid January. The brand is being promoted again with the `Rainswept' ad, which features the reggae tune, Night Nurse by Gregory Isaacs. The...

Welcome to the pleasure dome.(Boots and Superdrug)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... SSL International, the manufacturer of Durex, claims two new products that will go on sale in Boots and Superdrug from January 2006 will bring increased pleasure to both partners during sex. Durex Play Massage is a two in one massage gel...

Aquafresh campaign extended.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... GlaxoSmithKline is extending the run of its latest Aquafresh television campaign. The Aquafresh Extreme Clean adverts featuring both the `Unisex' ad (with the Aquafresh Extreme Clean toothpaste range) and `Bus' (with the Aquafresh Tooth &...

Brolene targets `party eyes'.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Brolene Cool Eyes is to feature in a #300,000 campaign across television, the press and on the Tube this festive season. Sanofi-aventis is promoting the brand with a 20-second advert on ITV, GMTV, Channel 4, Sky and Living, while press...

Bambino Mio.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... UniChem is now distributing Bambino Mio products, market leaders of cotton nappies and accessories. Mio Trial Packs containing a nappy cover, prewashed cotton nappy and a biodegradable nappy liner are available, as well as Mio Liners, Mio...

Fuji pro-CD.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Fujifilm is offering discounts on processing and scanning until April 1, 2006. The Shoot & Scan scheme offers a 25 per cent discount when any Fujifilm Professional 35mm or 120mm film is processed and scanned on the standard service offered...

Fairtrade now includes cotton wool.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Eurolink Healthcare Ltd is introducing some of the first products containing Fairtrade cotton into the UK. The Bocoton brand of cotton products is available in four variants: Round Twin Faced Cosmetic Pads, Square Twin Faced Cosmetic Pads,...

CONFERENCE REPORT: A prescription for change.
December 3, 2005... The ability to prescribe independently is a shot in the arm for pharmacy. Gary Paragpuri reports from a meeting in London last week on pharmacists' potential new powers Last month's decision to allow pharmacists and nurses to prescribe...

CONFERENCE REPORT: First-time declining market.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Speaker: Andrew Curl, deputy director-general, Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry Topic: The pharma industry view of prescribing Key points: * UK drugs market is declining for first time ever and is estimated to...

CONFERENCE REPORT: Prescribing by pharmacists and nurses.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Speaker: Paul Robinson, DoH policy lead for non-medical prescribing (NMP) Topic: From policy to implementation Key points: * Aim of NMP is to maximise benefit to patients and increase use of workforce skills. * NMP programme...

CONFERENCE REPORT: Nurses prescribing concerns.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Speaker: Dr Molly Courtenay, reader prescribing and medicines management, Reading University Topic: The nurse experience Key points: * Nurses working in primary care are the more likely to prescribe. * Most nurse prescribers...

CONFERENCE REPORT: Patient power.(over the counter )
December 3, 2005... Patient power and the growth of Europe's OTC market were the key themes of last week's Association of the European Self-Medication Industry conference, reports Anna Hodgekiss There are few better ways to promote OTC than having a Government...

ETHICAL DEBATE: On the horns of a dilemma.
December 3, 2005... It's an issue that pharmacists have shied away from, but with both Westminster and the Scottish Parliament discussing legalising assisted suicide, pharmacists should start discussing where they stand. In the first of three articles Jane Ellis...

ETP Help Desk - Week 7: AAH.
December 3, 2005... Sponsored by AAH Q IS ETP THE SAME IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND? A No, each country is taking a different approach. ETP is the programme being rolled out in England, led by NHS Connecting for Health (CfH). In...

Having a ball.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The Ulster Chemists' Association President's Ball attracted 350 people to the Ramada Hotel just outside Belfast last weekend and raised #5,500 for Northern Ireland Hospice Care. President Patrick Lane announced the grand total after the...

Long exposure.
December 3, 2005... The digital age may have had a significant impact on the way you (and your customers) take pictures. But a recent example of the advantages and durability of using good old-fashioned film has come to light - a roll of film has finally been...

OTC: Comment.
December 3, 2005... I can't quite believe that the last issue of 2005 is here already, even though the shops have been full of cards, decorations and hampers of all kinds of goodies that you'd never buy, much less eat, at any other time of the year. This...

OTC: Lane gears up for another 75.(GR Lanes Health Products)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... GR Lane's staff dressed up in various `period' costumes to celebrate the 75 years the company has been in business. The firm, which produces brands including Olbas and Kalms, was established by Gilbert Lane in the 1930s and has since been...

OTC: BRIEFS: Are you deficient?(G and G Vitamins)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... East Grinstead-based G&G Vitamins has commissioned a nutritional deficiency test which can be taken online so people can see if they are deficient in any nutrients. The test comes with free nutritional advice from a trained practitioner....

OTC: Profelan dances to the rescue.(M&A Pharmachem)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Cricketer turned dance floor dynamo Darren Gough was already a fan of Profelan, the arnica massage cream developed by German football team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, before he started dancing. But since he swapped his whites for...

OTC: Congratulations to Denise Wright.(Alston Pharmacy)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Congratulations to Denise Wright, who is celebrating 34 years at Alston Pharmacy in Cumbria. Denise's colleague Angela Howard wrote to Over The Counter to tell us how Denise has been working in the pharmacy since she was 15. "She's an...

OTC: Jade's a winner by miles.(Jade Elder)(Mycota Mileathon Challenge)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... More than 2,000 pharmacies took the Mycota Mileathon Challenge this summer to find the pharmacy where the most steps were taken by staff in a working week. And the winner, by a considerable distance, was Jade Elder, a counter assistant...

OTC: BRIEFS: A new study says.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... A quick look at some of the weird, wonderful - and serious - research reports which have come into the office recently. * A study of 210 people carried out in Manchester found that exercise addiction is linked to hypomania in women. The...

OTC: Well done, Debbie.(Debbie Major)(Cambridge Counterpart draw)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Congratulations to Debbie Major, the latest winner of the Cambridge Counterpart draw. Mrs Major works as a counter assistant at Badham Pharmacy in Gloucester, and enjoys gardening and needlework in her spare time. Phil Davis and Lucy...

OTC: Coffee morning raises #215.
December 3, 2005... Congratulations to staff and customers at Clarshire Pharmacy in Surrey, who raised #215 by taking part in the Macmillan world's biggest coffee morning. Coffee and snacks were served to customers, who could also get information on healthy...

OTC: Hollowood staff Sale to victory.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Staff from Hollowood Chemist in Sale recently raised #500 for St Anne's Hospice in Heald Green, Cheshire, in a 13-mile sponsored walk through local countryside. The plucky group, which included the pharmacist, two dispensers and a counter...

OTC: Biofreeze p-p-p-picks up a penguin - or 57!(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Jude Woodcock, brand manager for Biofreeze, found things were getting decidedly fishy when she was invited to Bristol Zoo. She found herself helping to serve breakfast to 57 African penguins to help her learn more about the role of a zoo...

OTC: In brief: DIY health on the increase.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Latest research from Mintel reveals a 40 per cent increase in sales of self-diagnostic products since 2000. The company says the rise in sales of products such as blood pressure and blood glucose monitors, pregnancy testing kits and...

OTC: BRIEFS: Complan energy.(Complan Foods Ltd)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Complan is launching a new energy drink aimed at adults leading busy lifestyles. The Active Hypotonic Energy drink contains glucosamine, calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, and is designed to top up energy reserves. The company claims one 500ml...

OTC: BRIEFS: Look at Lockets.(over the counter)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Lockets are undergoing a facelift this winter, backed by a #1.8 million promotional campaign. The relaunch includes sponsorship of Channel Five's weather bulletins for six months, continuing last year's `Sponsors of the British Winter'...

OTC: BRIEFS: New mints.(Petty, Wood and Co Ltd)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Sula sugar-free sweets are now available in new Lemon Mint with vitamin C and Menthol Mint flavours. Each comes in 50g flip-top packs at #0.75. They contain the natural sweetener Isomalt derived from natural sugar beet. The new minty products...

OTC: BRIEFS: Spreading Balm.(Balm Balm)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Balm Balm (#2.99), the 100 per cent organic and fragrance-free lip balm, is now available through a variety of wholesalers including UniChem and AAH and is also on sale at Lloydspharmacy. Balm Balm contains organic sunflower oil, shea butter,...

OTC: Night Nurse is back on TV with a reggae beat.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... The familiar `Rainswept' ad for Night Nurse is back on TV until mid- January, featuring the reggae classic Night Nurse, by Gregory Isaacs. The original 20-second version, with the strapline `nurse it better', will be followed by a...

OTC: Zovirax is keeping its helmet on TV.(GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is supporting its Zovirax Cold Sore Cream with a two-week on two-week off TV campaign until the end of the year. The campaign features the `helmet' ad in which a woman disguises her face until she...

OTC: Avent continues its winning ways.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Avent has acquired a string of new awards in recent months which, says the company, reaffirm it as the UK's number one feeding brand. The Avent Feeding Bottle & Teat was a double winner in the Prima Baby Magazine Awards, winning the `best...

OTC: BRIEFS: Kalming down.
December 3, 2005... Kalms is sponsoring ITV2's new series, My teen's a nightmare - I'm moving out! The programme features a behavioural expert moving into a home with a problem teenager, while the parents move out. GR Lane, Tel: 01452 524012 Copyright:...

OTC: BRIEFS: Dettol in a lather.(Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Dettol has launched three new antibacterial handwashes. The liquid handwashes come in Moisture, Refresh and Soothe variants (250ml, #1.99). Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare, Tel: 01482 326151 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

OTC: BRIEFS: Echinacea range.(Potter's Herbal Medicines)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Potter's has launched a new Echinacea range to help combat winter colds and flu. The range includes lemon-flavoured Echinacea Effervescent, which can be dissolved in hot or cold water; original Elixir of Echinacea; and Echinacea and Garlic...

OTC: BRIEFS: No more Germs.(Advanced Formulations Europe)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... No-Germs is an antibacterial hand sanitiser which is said to kill 99.8 per cent of all germs in seconds. A 50ml pack delivers more than 100 uses and retails at #2.99. Advanced Formulations Europe, Tel: 020 8640 4444 Copyright: CMP...

OTC: OXY's triple attack to wipe out spots.(OXY Triple Action Wipes)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Teen skincare brand OXY has launched new OXY Triple Action Wipes to help prevent spots. The first new product to be launched since the brand was bought by the Mentholatum Company, OXY Triple Action Wipes are specially formulated to be used...

OTC: BRIEFS: Teens targeted with Omega 3 oil.(Seven Seas Health Care Ltd)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2005... Seven Seas is launching a new Omega 3 supplement aimed specifically at teenagers following the success of Haliborange Omega 3 for Kids. Haliborange TeenSense contains 500mg of Omega 3 fish oil and comes in an orange-flavoured chewy burst...