Chemist & Druggist articles from July 2003

Chemist & Druggist archives from July 2003

PSNC unveils new contract framework.(for pharmacists)
July 5, 2003... A framework for the new pharmacy contract for England and Wales could have three key levels of service provision, PSNC has outlined as it started consulting with pharmacy contractors this week. The basis of the proposed contract comprises:...

Final Charter roadshow.(almost 50 pharmacists attend the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's last Charter roadshow this week in London)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Nearly 50 pharmacists, including Royal Pharmaceutical Society staff and Council members attended the Society's last Charter roadshow this week in London. Following presentations from RPSGB president Gill Hawksworth, and secretary and...

Measuring obesity.(a workshop shows Avicenna delegates how to measure obesity)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Nearly 50 Avicenna delegates took part in a workshop on measuring obesity, the principles of achieving a healthy diet and diagnostic monitoring. Led by Avicenna's professional development adviser, Hemant Patel, the `Worth your weight in gold'...

Medical artefacts.(the British Museum in London will show medical artifacts)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Around 700 (out of a million) medical artefacts collected in the early 20th century by pharmacist and co-founder of Burroughs Wellcome, Henry Wellcome, have gone on show at the British Museum in London. The exhibition, open until November 16,...

Draft contract framework.(the United Kingdom government plans to publish a framework for a new pharmacy contract before it recesses )(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The Government hopes to publish a draft framework for a new pharmacy contract before the summer recess, the health minister with responsibility for pharmacy confirmed this week. Rosie Winterton said the proposals would be published before...

DT error hits contractors.(contractors lose money when they dispense prescriptions for Somatuline Autogel due to a Drug Tariff anomaly)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Contractors are losing a substantial sum of money each time they dispense prescriptions for Somatuline (lanreotide) Autogel due to a Drug Tariff anomaly, a pharmacist is warning. Pharmacists receive no discount from wholesalers when...

Pharma industry wants information access.(pharmaceutical industry)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Patients should be able to access "good quality information" about their prescribed medicines from pharmaceutical companies, the ABPI is claiming. Responding to last week's Commons public accounts committee report (C&D, June 28, p8), which...

Scots debate health plan.(groups consider a Scottish proposal for a wider range of health services to be offered to communities)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The pharmaceutical industry, NHSScotland and the voluntary sector have met to discuss whether a Scottish proposal for a wider range of health services delivered locally in communities could successfully put patients at the centre of healthcare...

Error study gets cash aid.(a study by the University of Manchester on errors by community pharmacies recevies funding)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... A University of Manchester study examining why errors occur in community pharmacies is to get #75,000 funding from national pharmacy organisations and the Government. The Community Pharmacy Research Consortium (consisting of the CCA, the...

Guild `cautious' over hospital deal.(the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists welcomes the increase in pharmacist salaries over the next three years)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists has "cautiously" welcomed the increase in pharmacist salaries of 10 per cent over the next three years, which was announced last week. GHP section general secretary Barry Jones said the rise, which...

Aspirin law for under-16s.(new legislation in the United Kingdom requires the latest health warnings on packaging for aspirin)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Legislation ensuring that the packaging for aspirin carries the latest health warning was laid before Parliament last Friday and will come into force on October 1. After this date, all aspirin products must include the warning, "do not...

Eye-catching.(Rowlands introduces Common Complaints Display Cards into their pharmacies)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Rowlands have introduced these eye-catching Common Complaints Display Cards into their pharmacies. The cards, similar to bookmarks, cover a multitude of minor ailments including sore throats, eye problems and upset stomachs. They include advice...

CSA takes fraud role.(Common Services Agency)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The Common Services Agency in Scotland is taking over certain fraud roles from health boards and NHS trusts following legislation that came into force last month. Scottish Statutory Instrument 2003 No 306 permits the CSA to prevent, detect...

Scots courses intake up.(according to NHS Education for Scotland Pharmacy's report)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The number of Scottish pharmacists undertaking post-qualification education programmes in 2002-2003 rose by up to 12 per cent on the previous year, according to the NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Pharmacy's first annual report. ...

Outstanding performance.(Marion Hetherington of Eldon Laboratories is recognized for her achievements during NPA Pharmacy Services Level 3 NVQ)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Marion Hetherington of Eldon Laboratories received a City & Guilds Medal of Excellence for outstanding performance in her NPA Pharmacy Services Level 3 NVQ last week. Marion, whose work was described by one of the judges as "by far the best...

Help for herbal product registration.(British Herbal Medicines Association publishes helpful guide)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The British Herbal Medicines Association has published information to help register herbal products in response to a European Directive due next year calling for a traditional herbal products registration system with the same quality standards...

OBITUARY: Mervyn Madge.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
July 5, 2003... Mervyn Madge FRPharmS, of Budleigh Salterton, Devon, has died. Having registered in 1933, Mr Madge became a prominent pharmacist with many interests and served as an honorary auditor of the RPSGB until as recently as 2002. He was made a Fellow...

PAGB confident in `difficult' market.(Proprietary Association of Great Britain)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The trade association for OTC medicine and food supplement manufacturers expects P to GSL switches to drive future sales after its latest report showing low single digit growth in the pharmacy and grocery OTC medicines market for the past two...

VMS limits will happen despite opposition.(dietary supplements legislation)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Legislation limiting the number of food supplements that can be marketed in the UK is to come into force anyway, despite the House of Lords voting against it. The new rules are laid out in The Food Supplements (England) and The Food...

Boots' stores go up for sale.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Boots has put an undisclosed number of stores up for sale as going concerns after identifying some locations where customer demand has changed, through competition or demographics. A spokeswoman said the sell-offs were nothing to do with...

Boots' CEO could double salary in incentive scheme.(Richard Baker)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Boots's new chief executive, former Asda boss Richard Baker, will be able to double his six-figure salary under the terms of the company's new short-term bonus scheme. Last year, outgoing Boots boss, Steve Russell, earned a basic salary of...

Untrustworthy and overpaid.(MORI poll reveals vast majority of people find corporate directors to be untrustworthy, overpaid)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The vast majority of people regard top companies' directors as untrustworthy and overpaid, a MORI poll has revealed. Four out of five people believe directors of large companies cannot be trusted to tell the truth, while nearly the same number...

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare launched.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Pfizer has now officially launched Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, the result of the merger between Pfizer and Pharmacia. At a reception in London last week, Andy Rush, vice-president for UK, Ireland and CEER, said: "We have combined the unique...

One out of two internet chemists break the law.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Over half of online `chemists' are illegally supplying prescription medicines, Dundee trading standards has revealed. Almost all are also breaking consumer protection laws, designed to allow consumers to shop on the internet with...

New md for Numark Trading.(appointment)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Numark Trading Ltd, the 50:50 joint venture between Phoenix Medical Supplies and Numark plc, has appointed Simon Colebeck as managing director, in a new position introduced to drive the company's plans for future growth. David Wood,...

Online ordering for hospital pharmacists.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... PharmiWeb Solutions has launched HospitalPharma.com to enable hospital pharmacies to order supplies directly from manufacturers. Hospital pharmacists can view price and prescribing information and place orders through their PC via a...

GW sets #20 million fundraising target.
July 5, 2003... Cannabis extract pioneer GW is hoping to raise approximately #20 million through a placing for cash of 9,904,395 new GW ordinary shares at 200p per share. The proceeds of the placing will help to bring forward Phase 3 clinical trials of...

Comment from the Editor.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The first details of the proposed new pharmacy contract for England and Wales are now out in the open. PSNC should be commended for attempting to make sure the consultation is as inclusive as possible. And the promise that it will ultimately be...

Letter: Response on the RPSGB Charter roadshows.(Letter to the Editor)
July 5, 2003... Last week's edition of C&D questioned whether the Society will generate sufficient feedback from its consultation on the proposed draft Royal Charter. This report (C&D June 28, p6) was based on attendance figures for the `Fit for the...

Priorities for the members.(hospital pharmacies)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... There has been talk of little else in the hospital pharmacy department. The ins and outs of the proposed new RPSGB Charter have been the main topic of discussion for several weeks. Alright - that's a lie. Although the RPSGB might wish that...

Waiting for Godot? No, just the OFT.(government)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The build up to the Parliamentary summer recess is excruciating as the Government's response to the Office of Fair Trading report into contract limitation is crucial to the whole future development of not just my pharmacy but to the direction...

Finding the resources for extracurricular activity.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... I am not surprised that so few pharmacists have felt the need to attend a Royal Pharmaceutical Society roadshow on the new Charter proposals. I am suffering from a severe dose of political overload and have to prioritise the little time I have...

Power to the PSNC.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Sue Sharpe, PSNC chief executive, says that she would be taking a low- key approach to the potential problems of primary care trusts becoming involved in direst supply arrangements for either drugs or dressings, thereby interfering with the...

PHARMACY MANAGEMENT: Do they mean me?
July 5, 2003... Yes, standard operating procedures will apply to all pharmacists in less than two years' time, says Vanessa Sherwood You've been dispensing for years, the system runs well and your experienced staff know what they're doing. Then you hear...

PHARMACY UPDATE: Drugs in Alzheimer's.
July 5, 2003... In her second article to coincide with Alzheimer's Awareness Week (July 6-12), Mary Allen FRPharmS looks at drug treatments Objectives * To understand the pathophysiology of AD * To understand how drug treatments are thought to work...

Polypill could reduce heart disease by 80pc.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... A single daily combination tablet has been proposed that could reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease by over 80 per cent. Widespread use of the "Polypill" would have, "a greater impact on the prevention of disease in the Western world...

Over 50s cholesterol tests.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Measuring cholesterol levels in everyone over 50 is a simple and efficient method of identifying those at high risk of coronary disease among the general population, according to a study in the BMJ. It found that current guidelines fail to...

Difficulty quitting smoking is in the genes.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Difficulty in stopping smoking could be linked to a gene that also protects against pulmonary emphysema. A study in Thorax compared the genotypes of current and ex-smokers with non-smokers. It found a link between the CYP2A6 gene (which is...

Etodolac capsules.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Viatris Pharmaceuticals has launched Eccoxolac (etodolac) 300mg capsules. Eccoxolac is licensed for acute or long term use in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The dose is 600mg daily or 300mg twice daily. Price: #8.75 Pack...

Zirtek 200ml POM to P switch.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Zirtek solution 200ml has been switched from POM to P. It will be known as Zirtek Allergy Solution. RRP is #17.55. Pip code and NHS price are unchanged. For more information: UCB Pharma Ltd Tel: 01923 211811. Copyright: CMP Information...

Two new foods from Nutricia.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Nutricia is launching Fortisip Protein and Nutrison Vitaplus Multi Fibre, which are both ACBS approved foods for special medical purposes. Fortisip Protein is a high protein nutritional supplement available in strawberry, vanilla, forest fruits...

Cafergot SmPC changes.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Several changes have been made to the SmPCs for Cafergot suppositories and tablets. These include the additional contra-indication that Cafergot should not be give to patients taking potent CYP 3A4 inhibitors such as macrolide antibiotics and...

Ketoconazole DT error.(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
July 5, 2003... Ketoconazole cream 2 per cent was wrongly listed in the June Drug Tariff as based on Daktarin Dual Action at 283p. It should be based on Nizoral cream at 381p for 30g and has been amended for the July Tariff. This does not affect reimbursement...

Xefo discontinued.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... CeNeS is discontinuing Xefo (lornoxicam). It expects current stocks to be exhausted in about four months' time. For more information: CeNeS Pharmaceuticals Tel: 01233 266466. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Optilast up to 8ml.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Viatris is increasing the volume of Optilast eye drops from 6ml to 8ml. Price and Pip code remain the same. For more information: Viatris Pharmaceuticals Ltd Tel: 01223 205999. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Aquafresh makes cleaning teeth child's play.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare hopes to encourage children to brush their teeth with a fun kids' battery-operated toothbrush. Aquafresh Clip-on Friends toothbrushes feature a clip-on character on the front. There is a choice of five...

Massage gel delivers right to the point of the pain.(maintaining healthy joints)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Vitabiotics is introducing a dual action massage gel into the Jointace range for maintaining healthy joints. Jointace Gel combines glucosamine and chondroitin with six essential oils including ginger, clove bud and eucalyptus oil. The...

PoliGrip gets a grip.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The PoliGrip range of denture fixatives is being relaunched with a new look. The metallic packs are designed to reflect the premium positioning of the range, bringing it closer in line with standard oralcare products. New in the range...

Witch takes to the air.(Witch facial skincare range)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... The revamped Witch facial skincare range (C&D June 21, p23) will be advertised on TV from this month. Part of a #3 million support programme, the TV campaign will be aired on peak spots for four months. The new commercial promotes the...

Better Solutions.(Accantia Health & Beauty)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Accantia Health & Beauty is relaunching two products in the Lil-lets Solutions range with improved formulations. Relaxing Rub is designed to soothe aches and cramps and Active Feminine Wipes offer the dual action of gentle cleansing with pH...

Menopause awareness.(Vitabiotics)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Vitabiotics, maker of Menopace tablets, has teamed up with leading women's health charities the Menopause Amarant Trust and WellBeing for the first National Menopause Awareness Month which will take place in August. For more information:...

Sleep soundly with Pepcidtwo.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Pepcidtwo is in the public eye throughout July and August in a TV campaign designed to boost sales over the holiday season. The commercial features a man who gets an attack of heartburn at a party - a situation that many sufferers will easily...

Hedex to the rescue.(analgesics)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... With the school summer holidays almost here, stressed mums are being targeted in a new TV campaign for Hedex. Three humorous commercials, which are designed to strike a chord with busy mums, will be screened on satellite TV until the end of...

Superhero boost for Milk of Magnesia.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Mums with kids who experience upset stomachs are being targeted in summer advertising for Phillips' Milk of Magnesia. A national #150,000 campaign is appearing in women's magazines until September. The advertisements feature two cheeky and...

Daktarin sponsors top athletic events.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Daktarin athlete's foot treatment is sponsoring this year's UK Athletics which will be taking place in Gateshead, Birmingham and Crystal Palace during July and August. Each event will be broadcast on BBC TV. The brand is also being...

PHARMACY MANAGEMENT: A survival guide to PAYE.
July 5, 2003... David Jervis unravels the mysteries of Pay As You Earn and the pitfalls to avoid PAYE is the system whereby employers collect and account to the Inland Revenue for income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) on their employees'...

INSIGHT: Registered post.(pharmacy technician)
July 5, 2003... What are the attitudes in community pharmacy to pharmacy technician registration? Anna Collyer, pharmacy graduate, gauged opinion as part of her final year project The registration of pharmacy technicians will be a reality from 2005,...

EDUCATION: Plotting the right course.(Education shouldn't stop once you qualify as a pharmacist)
July 5, 2003... Education shouldn't stop once you qualify as a pharmacist. Fawz Farhan of Mediapharm looks at what postgraduate courses are on offer The Schools of Pharmacy have had a busy year. Many have been developing new and innovative courses to meet...

Rewarding excellence.(Investors in People award)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Northern pharmacy chain Weldrick's held its annual presentation evening to celebrate the success of its staff and the company's success in achieving the Investors in People award for the fourth consecutive time. Certificates for NVQs at level 2...

Award winners.(Proprietary Association of Great Britain)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... Sunayana Shah, scientific and medical affairs manager at the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, is pictured with this year's two Professional Learning Programme award winners at the Association's annual dinner. The PLP course sets a...

Sponsor of the 22nd Potteries Marathon.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2003... United Co-op Pharmacy was a sponsor of the 22nd Potteries Marathon. The Group provided a range of health checks from a marquee by the start and finish line and plenty of United employees took part in the accompanying relay race. Business...

Pharmacies teach NHS Direct staff.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Staff working at an NHS Direct call centre will gain a greater appreciation of the role of community pharmacists by spending time in a pharmacy. Following a North East London NHS Direct open evening, organised with the NEL Local...

Surprise as ETP pilots are halted.(electronic transfer of prescriptions programme)
July 12, 2003... The electronic transfer of prescriptions programme is in chaos following the Department of Health's sudden decision to pull the plug on national pilots. Consortia leaders were told of the decision to end the pilots on June 30 - the day...

Welsh script pledge leads to trouble.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... The Welsh Assembly is running into trouble over its failure to act on election promises to abolish prescription charges. First minister Rhodri Morgan has already cold-shouldered a suggestion that patients suffering from chronic illnesses should...

Supply of `works' to be legal.(government will enforce legislation which will allow pharmacists to provide drug paraphernalia to drug users)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... The Government is to proceed with plans to allow pharmacists and others to legally provide drug users in England with drug-taking paraphernalia. Legislation coming into force on August 1 will enable health professionals and drug treatment...

Hardwick Hall herb garden.(donation from Ricola)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Robin Allan, head gardener at Hardwick Hall in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, shows Lukas Richterich, director of Ricola, around its herb garden which is being restored and redesigned thanks to a #20,000 donation from Ricola. Hardwick Hall was...

IBS product may go GSL.(Boehringer Ingelheim's Buscopan)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Manufacturers of a pharmacy-only treatment for the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have applied for the medicine to be reclassified as a general sales list product. Boehringer Ingelheim asked the Medicine and Healthcare products...

UK pharmacists receive Europe's lowest margins.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... UK pharmacists receive the lowest margins on drugs in Europe, according to data presented at a recent meeting of the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union. A comparison of the composition of EU retail drug prices in 1997 in 16 member...

Lloyds starts safety campaign.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Lloydspharmacy has launched a community safety initiative with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. As part of `Safety Essentials' customers can purchase the Dorling Kindersley Home Emergency Guide for #2.99 when they buy any...

Prescribing course for London this autumn.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Pharmacists in London who wish to receive funding for supplementary prescribing training need to act quickly if they wish to be included in the first wave as applications will close at the end of this month for those who wish to begin training...

Pharmacy robot cuts drug errors.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Health minister John Hutton visited Chelsea and Westminster Hospital to see at first hand two NHS modernisation projects, including a #500,000 pharmacy robot. The robot dispenses and labels drugs so the hospital's pharmacists can spend...

Time for a spell inside?(A Pharmacy Service for Prisoners: recommendations and implementation plan)
July 12, 2003... Community pharmacists and their staff could benefit from a spell working inside English prisons, HM Prisons is recommending in a new report. In the document, A Pharmacy Service for Prisoners: recommendations and implementation plan, HM...

Pharmacy network endorsed.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Community pharmacies in under-served areas play a key role in preventing illness and providing effective treatment and care, the Government has said in its latest health inequalities action plan. Writing in the new Health inequalities - a...

Charity endorses need for further pharmacist training.(PharmacyHealthLink)
July 12, 2003... PharmacyHealthLink, formerly the Pharmacy Healthcare Scheme, has endorsed the need for more training and education in public health for pharmacists at all stages of their career. In a response to the document Competencies of the future...

New register attracts 40 professions.(Health Professions Council Register)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Around 40 new professions have expressed an interest in joining the new Health Professions Council Register, which replaces the 30-year old Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicines register. This currently regulates the activities...

PCTs need 900 quitters a year to meet targets.(Primary Care Trusts smoking cessation goals)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Primary Care Trusts will each have to produce at least 900 ex-smokers this year if they are to meet Government smoking cessation targets. These are set at reducing the smoking rate in manual groups to 26 per cent by 2010, and by 2006 will...

Smoke-free workers may need pharmacists' help.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Local smoking cessation services have a role to play in supporting smokers during the transition to a smoke-free environment, the chief medical officer has highlighted in a new report. On the state of public health calls for smoking bans in...

Phoenix goes national with loan guarantees.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Pharmacists nationwide can now take advantage of a Phoenix loan guarantee, following an extension of the earlier individual guarantee scheme. Under the new terms, Phoenix can guarantee loans of up to 1.25 per cent above the base rate, for...

Rowlands joins the CCA.(Company Chemists' Association)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Rowlands Pharmacy has joined The Company Chemists' Association. Ian Cowan, pharmacy superintendent for Rowlands Pharmacy, said: "Rowlands Pharmacy is very pleased to be joining the CCA. Not since 1948 has community pharmacy faced such...

Free business banking from A&L.(Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... High street bank Alliance & Leicester is to offer small business customers free banking services for six months as part of the relaunch of its commercial banking operations. Customers joining Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank can bank...

AstraZeneca pays #216m fine.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... AstraZeneca is to pay nearly #216 million after pleading guilty to violating US laws over the sales and marketing of its prostate cancer treatment, Zoladex. AZ admits to providing physicians with free samples of the drug over a three-year...

British Biotech and Vernalis merge.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... British Biotech has bought rival Vernalis for #44 million and will merge under the Vernalis name, moving from Oxford to its headquarters in Winnersh near Reading, with research and development facilities in both Winnersh and Cambridge. Around...

Fiftieth branded store for Nucare.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Nucare has opened its 50th branded store at The Hamlet Pharmacy in Crystal Palace. In less than one year, Nucare has achieved 50 branded store openings in key conurbations including Luton, Northampton and North London. Backed by the...

Jenks breaks off from parent after buy-out.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2003... Jenks Sales Brokers is now operating separately from its parent company, the McCormick Group, following a management buy-out. The new company, headed by managing director Mike Timms and commercial director Ross Beattie, will operate as...