Chemist & Druggist articles from January 2006

Chemist & Druggist archives from January 2006

Kennedy stands firm over changes to pharmacy supervision.
January 7, 2006... Health minister Jane Kennedy has promised to consult with pharmacy leaders over the detail in new measures to relax the rules that require pharmacists to remain in pharmacies. The assurances were given as Opposition MPs sought to refine the...

Opposition MPs seek clarity over pharmacists' absence.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Steve Webb for the Liberal Democrats and Andrew Murrison for the Conservatives moved a series of amendments to clarify questions surrounding the responsibility of pharmacists when the supervision rules are relaxed. Mr Webb said there was a...

Updated guidelines extend NRT use.(nicotine replacement therapy)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... The Committee on Human Medicines has issued guidance allowing more people to use nicotine replacement therapy. The CHM has minimised the previous restrictions on NRT use by pregnant and breast-feeding women, 12 to 18-year-olds, and patients...

Inbrief: PSNC candidates.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee )(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... PSNC is seeking nominations for regional representatives to its committee. Letters were sent this week to contractors eligible to vote inviting them to nominate members or officers of their LPC. Nominations must be received by midday on...

Inbrief: AAH has N3.(AAH Pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... AAH Pharmaceuticals has teamed up with an accredited N3 network aggregator as part of its `onestopshop' ETP service for contractors. The company's partnership with healthcare information firm IMS Health would ensure rapid connection to N3...

CfH offers guide to ETP compliant computers.(Connecting for Health)
January 7, 2006... Guidance on ordering an ETP compliant computer system, connection to the NHS IT spine and authorisation to access NHS data has been published by the Government's IT body. General information on installing and operating ETP is also detailed...

`Unwise' for PCTs to pore over SOPs, says PSNC.(Primary care trusts)(standard operating procedures)(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee)
January 7, 2006... Primary care trusts could face legal action for excessively scrutinising a pharmacy's standard operating procedures as part of their checks to ensure compliance with the pharmacy contract, a pharmacy body is warning. Monitoring compliance...

Scotland acts over oxygen shortage.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Scottish health officials have added a replacement oxygen cylinder to their Drug Tariff after a leading oxygen supplier announced a shortage of portable cylinders. The Scottish Executive Health Department is allowing pharmacists to...

Superdrug plans #14.6 million expansion spending spree in 2006.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Superdrug aims to open over 35 stores as part of a #14.6 million expansion in 2006. The retailer, owned by the AS Watson Group, said it was "on track" to bring a store "to every high street in the UK and beyond" over the coming year. ...

MUR training.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Pharmacy development group CAMRx is to hold five half-day training sessions on carrying out medicines use reviews. The sessions, which are in conjunction with Medway School of Pharmacy, aim to help pharmacists gain accreditation. The...

Co-op rolls out robotic dispensing to more stores.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... The Co-operative Group will roll out robotic dispensing to a further four pharmacies after successful trials of the technology. Automated RoboPharma units will be installed at branches in Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Swanley, Kent, and...

Retailing: Co-op expands.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... The Co-operative Group has acquired three pharmacies in Wales. The sites in Aberfan, Troedyrhiw and Rhymney were purchased for an undisclosed fee. The pharmacies' 17 employees will join the Co-op as part of the deal. RoboPharma units...

`I'm no angel but not pure evil,' pharmacist tells RPSGB Committee.
January 7, 2006... A pharmacist with a string of criminal convictions in Luton, Birmingham and Nottingham over an eight-year period was ordered to be struck off at a disciplinary hearing last month. Statutory Committee chairman Lord Fraser said there was no...

Inbrief: Endoxana recall.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Baxter Healthcare has recalled a batch of Endoxana 50mg tablets (cyclophosphamide). Bearing the batch number 4F764E and the expiry date June 30, 2007, the affected batch was first distributed in January 2005 and may contain impurities....

Inbrief: CPP Fellows.(College of Pharmacy Practice)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Thirty one pharmacists have been awarded honorary fellowship of the College of Pharmacy Practice as it celebrates its 25th year. They are: Angela Alexander, David Anderson, Norman Armstrong, Muhammed Asghar, John Balmford, Graham Calder,...

Inbrief: Home fertility test.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... The world's first home fertility test for men and women goes on sale at Boots stores this week. The male test will show within an hour whether a man has enough sperm to fertilise an egg while the female test assesses the quality of the egg...

Successful first month for Boots chlamydia pilot.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Over 6,300 chlamydia testing kits have been handed out by Boots stores across London in the first month of a scheme to make screening more accessible for 16 to 24-year-olds. The two-year Department of Health funded pilot, launched in...

Society condemns waste plans.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society has criticised Government proposals)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has criticised Government proposals to change hazardous waste regulations. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs plans to broaden the definition of hazardous waste would make it impractical and...

Free smoking cessation service.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Community pharmacists across Northern Ireland's Northern and Social Services Board are providing a free smoking cessation service to help smokers kick the habit. Pharmacists will promote lifestyle changes and NRT products as part of the...

`Pull together' to cut oxygen risk.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Pharmacists must "pull together" with PCTs to ensure minimum risk to patients from the transfer of the home oxygen service, the RPSGB has warned. The Society called on contractors to alert patients to the potential dangers when home oxygen...

Don't link PI medicines with counterfeit claims.(Pharmaceutical industry)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Dr Brian Iddon MP's comments regarding parallel imports (PIs), during the parliamentary debate in December and as reported in C&D (December 17, 2005, p12), demonstrate the attempts which some have made to establish a link between PIs and...

Obituary: Ernest Hampson.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 7, 2006... Ernest Jeffreys Hampson, a former chairman of Potter's Herbal Medicines, passed away last month aged 86. His career in the industry spanned more than 60 years, when he first bought Potter's from Potter's and Clarke in 1952. He was a...

Comment from the Editor: A year for pharmacy?(Brief Article)(Editorial)
January 7, 2006... The year ahead will see some significant progress for pharmacy. Scotland will have its new contract, the Health Bill will introduce changes to the way pharmacists and pharmacy staff work, and implementation of the electronic prescription...

Opinion: Most like to happen in 2006.
January 7, 2006... Our question to pharmacists this week was: Which of these is most likely to happen in 2006? Gordon Brown to become Prime Minister - I don't think any of the others would happen Rosalyn Wills, Wigan I'd like to think England...

Parliament misinformed about PI medicines.
January 7, 2006... BAEPD members were alarmed by the comments made in Parliament recently by Dr Brian Iddon MP and reported in C&D, December 17, p12. Once again, false and misleading statements about parallel medicines are being presented as fact. Dr Iddon...

Northern Ireland notebook: A new year beckons.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... As I reflect on the past 12 months I'm relieved to say that some of my 2005 new year's resolutions have been delivered, yet most have not which is more my form. I've moved the business on, a bit. I have made some useful changes, particularly...

Xrayser: That was last year but this is now.
January 7, 2006... Goodbye 2005, hello 2006. And if this year proves nearly as busy and unpredictable as the last I will be sporting a few more grey hairs by the end of it. To describe 2005 as a rollercoaster is an understatement and, while the last 12 months...

Xrayser: Manchester united in monitoring.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... I know the grass always seems greener on the other side but a few pharmacists in Manchester seem to be in a lovely lush meadow right now. The 22 pharmacies involved in the monitoring and counselling pilot that have been given up to #10,000...

Pharmacy update: Hacked off.
January 7, 2006... This article can help in the following CPD competencies: G1a, G1c, G1f, C1f. A list is available at www.uptodate.org.uk/home/PlanRecord.shtml Objectives * To understand the mechanisms behind cough * To know common causes * To...

Bigger MS role for azathioprine.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Azathioprine has been found to be effective at decreasing new lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis. Scientists in Italy used magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the brain lesions of a small group of patients with relapse-remitting...

Vitamin D deficiency linked to cancer risk.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Vitamin D supplements could reduce some cancer risks, says a paper published online by the American Journal of Public Health. US researchers reviewed 63 observational studies that linked vitamin D status to the risk of various cancers,...

Interactive online aid helps MMR decision.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Interactive online support can significantly improve parental attitudes to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. A BMJ Online First paper describes how parents felt about MMR immunisation before and after completing a web-based decision...

Fast approval for quit drug?(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... The US drug regulator has announced plans to fast-track Pfizer's new drug application for a smoking cessation product. The Food and Drug Administration's decision indicates the organisation's belief that Champix (varenicline) offers...

Scriptlines: Serevent Evohaler.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... GlaxoSmithKline has launched Serevent Evohaler, a CFC-free replacement for the company's existing salmeterol inhaler. The product may be dispensed against prescriptions requesting either Serevent Evohaler or Inhlaer (or generic equivalent),...

Scriptlines: Mucodyne.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Mucodyne (carbocysteine) is now available in packs of 120 capsules. A replacement for the existing 30 capsule pack, the introduction of a larger size reduces the need for repeat prescriptions, says UK product promoter IVAX. Price:...

Scriptlines: Lantus OptiClik.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Lantus OptiClik (insulin glargine) has been introduced by sanofi- aventis. The 3ml cartridges are suitable for use with the OptiClik device, which is available from sanofi-aventis representatives. The SPC says that OptiClik cartridges...

Scriptlines: GSK steroids.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Efcortelan 2.5 per cent cream (hydrocortisone) and Dermovate-NN ointment (clobetasol propionate, neomycin sulphate, nystatin) have been discontinued, following manufacturing problems. All other presentations and pack sizes of the two...

Spray cure for minor cuts.(Elastoplast Spray Plaster )(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... The new Elastoplast Spray Plaster is a transparent, waterproof and breathable film that seals dry and clean cuts and grazes with a `second skin' to block out dirt and germs. With 40 applications in a 32.5ml can, the spray has a...

Corsodyl raises awareness of gum disease.
January 7, 2006... Medicated mouthwash Corsodyl is being promoted in a #450,000 advertising campaign starting this month in consumer magazines and appearing throughout 2006. Titles will include Prima, Good Housekeeping, Woman & Home and Family Circle. ...

Call for improved joint pain management.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... A new report published by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals suggests that many of the nine million people who visit their GP each year for joint pain, such as arthritis-related conditions, suffer unnecessarily from debilitating gastrointestinal side...

Zovirax back on TV.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Zovirax cold sore cream is back on national TV (Channel 4 and five) from January 9 to February 12 on a one-week-on, one-week-off basis. GlaxoSmithKline's campaign will feature a 10-second cut down of the Helmet ad. This features a woman...

Mates stimulates pleasure.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Mates Healthcare is supporting this month's launch of Mates Intensify products with a #1.5 million multi-media marketing campaign. This includes print, online, radio and outdoor, plus PR centred on a UK-wide survey that will continue for four...

Test kits come to UK.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... LPC (Pharmaceuticals) Ltd is launching test kits for self-diagnosis. Manufactured by Biomerica in the USA, there are currently five kits for the UK market. These are: Easi-Aware (PIP code: 319-5435) breast self-examination kit; Easi-Detect...

Sensodyne ad campaign aims to attract new business.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... GlaxoSmithKline's #1.4 million campaign for Sensodyne toothpaste kicks off again on January 9 and will continue on a one-week-on, one-week-off basis until March. The 30-second ads feature members of the public discussing how sensitive...

In the pink with Venus razor.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Gillette has launched its first fuchsia pink powered wet razor for women in the UK. Venus Vibrance is a battery powered razor that pulsates to gently exfoliate skin during shaving. The razor also includes moisture glide strips that...

Mam soothes babies' gums.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Oralcare company Mam (UK) has launched the Mam Gum Massager for babies of three months and over. The Massager is said to ease teething pain when the first teeth start to break through. It is ergonomically shaped, with a soft, easy to grip...

Building up steam.
January 7, 2006... More choice, more convenience and greater flexibility are three benefits claimed by Avent for its iQ 24 steam steriliser, which makes its debut this month. In addition, the iQ 24 offers a choice of a six-minute cycle with an extended...

Sleep, perchance to dream.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Sleep aid Nytol is being further promoted by GlaxoSmithKline in a burst running on TV and radio from early January to the end of February on a one-week-on, one-week-off basis. A 20-second strip of the existing `Dreamland' ad will be shown...

Practice: For the record.(continuing professional development)
January 7, 2006... Helen Rhodes gives some pointers on starting your continuing professional development It's the time of year again when Society retention forms have dropped through our letterboxes; we declare that we will meet the RPSGB's continuing...

Back ISSUES: New Year's honours.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Pharmacists have been among those honoured this New Year. Charles Butler, chairman of the College of Pharmacy Practice and Berkshire pharmacy business proprietor, and Mohammed Zafar Khan, a community pharmacist in New Malden, Surrey, have...

Appointments: MTS Medication Technologies.(appointment of Emma Powell )(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... Emma Powell has joined MTS Medication Technologies as UK project leader. She will be responsible for the company's new MedLocker product, including onsite training and customer support. She joins after 10 years with Positive Solutions working...

Appointments: GlaxoSmithKline.(appointment of Ralph Horowitz and Tom De Swaan )(Brief Article)
January 7, 2006... GlaxoSmithKline has appointed two new non-executive directors to its board with effect from January 1. Dr Ralph Horowitz is dean of the School of Medicine and vice-president of medical affairs at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland,...

IT and supermarkets top pharmacy concerns.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... ETP and the growth of supermarket giants are some of the biggest concerns among pharmacists, a survey of UniChem customers has revealed. An IT solution topped contractors' wish list at the wholesaler's pharmacy consultative board (PCB)...

RPSGB calls for Government action after ITV programme fools MHRA.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has called on the Government to look into the way the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regulates wholesalers in the UK following an investigation by ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald show....

DHSSPS publishes spending plans.(Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... For the first time, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland has published details of how it intends to spend its #3.3 billion budget in 2005-06. The DHSSPS aims to improve accountability and detail...

In brief: Slozem recall.(Merck Pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Merck Pharmaceuticals is recalling a batch of Slozem (diltiazem) Capsules 300mg after finding some packs were incorrectly labelled 240mg on the foil. Details of the affected batch are: batch no 50709; expiry date 03/2008, pack size 28....

In brief: Diamorphine stocks.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... The Department of Health and the National Assembly for Wales have agreed to allow NCSO (no cheaper stock obtainable) endorsements for January prescriptions for: diamorphine injection ampoules 5mg, 10mg, 30mg, 100mg, and 500mg. Copyright:...

In brief: Aurum recall.(Aurum Pharmaceuticals Ltd)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Aurum Pharmaceuticals Ltd is recalling a batch of ephedrine hydrochloride pre-filled syringes 3mg per ml due to the discovery of an ephedrine syringe erroneously labelled as atropine sulphate injection 3mg in 10ml. Pharmacists should...

Fire ravages a jinxed Birmingham pharmacy.(Sirpal Chemist)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... A Birmingham pharmacy has been left gutted by fire just six months after it was struck by a tornado. Rakesh Sirpal, proprietor of the Sirpal Chemist on Ladypool Road at Sparkbrook, was bemused after the business was left stricken for the...

Long's pharmacy praised for shortening queues.(Mike Long)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... An Islington pharmacist has scooped an NHS prize after pioneering services which helped relieve pressure on a local hospital. Mike Long, who runs the Highbury Pharmacy in North London, was praised by Islington Primary Care Trust after his...

Alliance pharmacist hits 200 MUR mark.(Alliance Pharmacy's Graham North becomes first to conduct medicines use reviews)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Graham North, from Milford on Sea in Hampshire, has become the first pharmacist at Alliance Pharmacy to conduct 200 medicines use reviews. Mr North says that 40 per cent of the total have been GP-led or arose in support of PCT/GP practice...

Pharmacy holds key to patient choice.(community pharmacies can provide healthcare services, a think-tank says)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Giving pharmacists the chance to run extra healthcare services would help deliver a patient pleasing NHS, an independent think-tank has concluded. The Social Market Foundation report, Registering Choice: how primary care should change to...

Avoid fees from gas changes, says PSNC.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee urges contractors and pharmacies of Medigas's to check agreement terms)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Contractors should check oxygen cylinder rental terms with gas supply firm Medigas to avoid excess charges after the transfer of the home oxygen service, PSNC has advised. Medigas will bill pharmacies failing to return F or IF size...

In brief: Poor Boots forecast?(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Boots could report a slump in sales over the Christmas period when it details trading figures to the City this week (after C&D went to press), a report in The Sunday Telegraph has predicted. But the retailer dismissed the forecast, of a 1.4 per...

DoH stresses #13 premise fee rise is reasonable.(United Kingdom's Department of Health on Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain's increased fees)
January 14, 2006... The #13 increase in the RPSGB's premises retention fee will provide it with a reasonable income to fulfil its inspectorate function while limiting the rise payable by pharmacies, the Department of Health has said. The DoH's decision raises...

C&D sponsors 2006 practice research award.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... C&D is again sponsoring this year's RPSGB Practice Research Award. The award, which is open for nominations/applications until March 31, will be presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference (BPC) in September 2006. The award aims to...

Pharmacists need the chance to do more for patients.(public health services)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Pharmacists could "help relieve the burden" on the National Health Service if the Government gave them the chance, according to a Labour MP. Pharmacies could offer more public health services if they were given the opportunity and...

CD guidance `extra work' for pharmacists.(National Pharmaceutical Association )(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... The NPA has warned that pharmacists could be left with "extra work and no extra money" if Government plans for safer management of Controlled Drugs go ahead. The Department of Health will revise draft guidance on the safer management of...

Bradford PCT backs teenage EHC scheme.(Primary Care Trust)(emergency hormonal contraceptive)
January 14, 2006... Teenage girls in Bradford are to receive emergency contraceptive services at 18 local pharmacies in a pilot scheme run by Bradford South & West Primary Care Trust. Pharmacists must register for the scheme and can offer free emergency...

Patricia Hewitt visit.(Boots's store services)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Health secretary Patricia Hewitt checked out the services offered at Boots's store at Leicester Gallowtree Gate this week. Ms Hewitt spoke with pharmacy staff about carrying out medicines use reviews and drug treatment services with patients...

DoH explains pharmacy supervision change.(Department of Health)
January 14, 2006... Further detail on how the Government intends to relax the rules around pharmacy supervision was published this week by the Department of Health. Issues such as when pharmacists can leave their premises, how pharmacists can supervise...

Letter: Fertell on why its test is currently exclusive to Boots.(Letter to the Editor)
January 14, 2006... Genosis has selected Boots as the distribution partner for Fertell in the UK (see p26). The decision was taken to enable resources to be channelled into ensuring the availability of Fertell for consumers at the earliest opportunity. As a...

Most Child Friendly Pharmacy.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... A pharmacy in Northern Ireland has been recognised as the Most Child Friendly Pharmacy in a survey run by Mother & Baby magazine and sponsored by the National Pharmacy Association. Lindsay Gracey, proprietor of The Village Pharmacy in...

Obituary: Professor Robert Duthie.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 14, 2006... Robert Duthie CBE FRCS, Emeritus Nuffield Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Oxford, died on Christmas Day at the age of 80. Professor Duthie was the chairman of the Joint Sub-Committee of the Standing Medical, Nursing...

Opinion: What is your top priority for 2006?
January 14, 2006... Our question to pharmacists this week was: "Developing clinical services - we built a consultation room last year and now we need to work out ways of using it " Felix Akande, Huddersfield "We'll be looking to develop our clinical...

Comment from the Editor: When jaw jaw is better than war war.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
January 14, 2006... This week, the Government and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society have each commented on what the other should be doing. For some time, the Society has had a policy of quiet diplomacy, preferring to lobby away from the media glare. But this...

Check those IT connections.(information technology)(electronic prescribing)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... UniChem's IT director Anthony Roberts says... With the new year upon us, the time has come for all pharmacists to turn their attention to IT and prepare for electronic prescribing. As you will be aware, it is vital to select the right...

Hospital report: Dissolving the trusts.
January 14, 2006... What is on the horizon as we look forward to 2006? Most Scottish Health Boards are in the throes of reorganising to meet the challenges of working as single systems. A logical progression to the process started by dissolution of trusts; it...

Xrayser: Volumatic's difficult rise from the ashes.(GlaxoSmithKline reintroduces spacers)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Something funny is going on around the reintroduction of Volumatic spacers (see p26) but the extra work for me and unavoidable confusion for patients is anything but amusing. Having spent some time counselling patients, briefing GPs and...

Xrayser: A test for health or lifestyle?(Boots introduces home fertility tests)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Is there no end to the range of services that we can provide? Boots led the way last week with its home fertility test for men and women (C&D, January 7, p10). This sort of test should sit well with the likes of chlamydia testing, EHC and...

Xrayser: Rocking around the pharmacy.(pharmacy services at events)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Every rock concert, large exhibition and sporting fixture is likely to get its own pharmacy service if the Government's planned changes to the supervision requirements get the go-ahead (C&D, January 7, p4). Health minister Jane Kennedy...

Open Shop: Independents' day.(pharmacies' economic impact)(Industry Overview)
January 14, 2006... Michael Major offers an insight into the changing US pharmacy market "Health consists of having the same disease as one's neighbours." Quentin Crisp. In 2005, the UK has seen changes that will fundamentally affect the way pharmacists...

Pharmacyupdate: Taming rotavirus.(rotavirus infections and treatment)
January 14, 2006... This article can help in the following CPD competencies: G1f, G1n, G8a, C2a. A list is available at www.uptodate.org.uk/home/PlanRecord.shtml Dr Claire Oluwalana and Dr Matthew Snape describe work being undertaken to develop vaccines for...

Rotavirus vaccines safe and effective.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2006... Vaccines developed for use against rotavirus, the leading cause of diarrhoea-related illness and death worldwide, are safe and effective, a medical journal has claimed. Two papers published in the New England Journal of Medicine - one...