Chemist & Druggist articles from July 2008

Chemist & Druggist archives from July 2008

Comment from the Editor: 05.07.08.(Editorial)
July 5, 2008... The NHS has been likened to a tanker steadfastly following the direction of travel set at its launch. And as we celebrate its 60th birthday, the core values that guided its launch in 1948 still hold true today: free and equitable access to...

Darzi sets out vision for quality.(Lord Darzi)
July 5, 2008... Pharmacists tasked with publishing account of safety, experiences and outcomes of the services they provide Max Gosney Healthcare providers face a tough new set of performance measures under health minister Lord Darzi's plans to ensure...

Review plays to profession's strengths, says industry.(National Health Service)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Lord Darzi's plans to hand the public more power over the NHS play into the hands of pharmacists, industry representatives have said. The profession was already focused "first and foremost" on the needs of customers, according to Company...

IN BRIEF: Society to charge rent.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... The government must stump up rent if it wants to base the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Lambeth headquarters, the RPSGB has stressed. The comment came after the steering group behind the GPhC said...

IN BRIEF: Transcom formed.
July 5, 2008... The Transitional Committee, which is working to produce a prospectus for a new professional body for pharmacy, has now been set up under the chairmanship of Nigel Clarke. www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Glasto pharmacy.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Members of the Rock n Roll Pharmacy were still able to help patients on site at Glastonbury this year, despite problems with a wholesale partner meaning the pharmacies could not run as had been planned. Read more at...

Lloyds sets 100-day plan.(Lloydspharmacy)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... New chief executive targets improved customer satisfaction by September Jennifer Richardson Pharmacies must become as focused on customer service as they are on patient safety, Lloydspharmacy's chief executive has told C+D. Since...

Veteran of 1948 speaks out.(National Health Service)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... They say some things never change. And in pharmacy, at least, that seems to be true. In the week the NHS turned 60, an 85-year-old pharmacist has recalled how, on July 5, 1948, the most pressing issue for Sunderland pharmacists was the...

Cash boost for Scotland.
July 5, 2008... Contract funding tops #165m including #8m boost for public health services Jennifer Richardson A 7 per cent global sum boost and an additional #8 million for three new national services should improve contractors' cash flow, the...

Dispensary Talk: 05.07.08.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Have you got a business plan for your pharmacy? "We constantly update it with our regular discussions, but we don't have it written down." Amanda Jones, Village Pharmacy, Harlington "Yes - we did it so that we know where we're...

Walk-in service pilots in Dundee.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... The first of five Scottish pilots to explore the expansion of community pharmacy walk-in services has been launched in Dundee. The Albert Street Alliance Pharmacy has extended opening hours and additional services will be added this month....

Wales to launch national services bid.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Wales is looking to follow Scotland's lead in securing more national services for pharmacy. Community Pharmacy Wales chief executive Paul Gimson said he wants to negotiate services "similar to what is happening in Scotland, looking at the...

IN BRIEF: NHS should stay free.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... The public wants the NHS to remain free at the point of use, a YouGov/Fabian Society poll for the 60th birthday of the NHS has found. Respondents also called for maximum waiting times of three months for an operation. www.fabians.org.uk...

IN BRIEF: Warning to PCTs.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... PCTs planning new GP-led health centres have been told to consider the impact the changes could have on community pharmacy. In a letter to all PCT chief executives, NPA head of external relations Stephen Fishwick warned such centres "could...

IN BRIEF: Blood test reminder.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Pharmacists involved in blood sample collection have been warned by the MHRA not to re-use lancing devices for self-testing by individual patients. These single use devices should be discarded after use. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

MPs `deplore' 100-hours.
July 5, 2008... Regulations will lead to community pharmacy closures, MPs argue Colin Brown A cross-party group of MPs has "deplored" the pharmaceutical regulations for allowing supermarkets to offer 100-hour pharmacy services, claiming it will lead...

Supermarket giant faces exemption fight.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Tesco's plan to open 100-hour pharmacies is meeting with localised opposition. In Evesham, Worcestershire, the local commerce and tourism body has written to Wychavon Council, on behalf of six local pharmacies, to object to Tesco's plans....

Trying to be of service.
July 5, 2008... As Scotland secures yet more national service funding, Zoe Smeaton asks why England can't seem to follow its neighbour's lead Pharmacists in England looked enviously to their neighbours last week, with the news that Scotland had secured...

NHS at 60: Sixty years of change.(Edgar Bryant)
July 5, 2008... From #1 a week wages to rice paper cachets, Edgar Bryant recalls life as a pharmacist at the time of the NHS launch Pharmacy has changed a lot since 1948. At the birth of the NHS, the war was fresh in the collective mind and post-war...

NHS at 60: 1948.
July 5, 2008... With the birth of the NHS imminent, the pressure was on to agree a national pharmacy contract in 1948. Steve Ainsworth uncovers a tale of prescription pricing confusion and backtracking For politicians, July 5, 1948 was `Joy Day'. And 60...

Xrayser - Happy birthday, dear NHS: where to next?(National Health Service)(Agency overview)
July 5, 2008... The NHS has matured into a truly amazing institution at the age of 60 and one that I hope to be involved with for many years to come. OK, so it has its problems, but so do all large organisations. It's a measure of the importance we place...

IRISH EYE: More health, less medicine: the NHS at 60.(National Health Service)
July 5, 2008... The current focus on the 60th anniversary of the introduction of our NHS is a good thing. Anniversaries are a time for celebration and reflection; things good for the soul. I am a staunch and loyal supporter of our NHS and for this reason I...

PHARMACY UPDATE: Anxiety disorders.(Disease/Disorder overview)
July 5, 2008... The final article in this series on psychiatric medicines explains at what stage anxiety is considered a disease and the methods used to treat it Key points * Anxiety is not necessarily a sign of mental ill-health, but if it restricts...

CLINICAL: Epoetins: new warning.(European Medicines Agency )(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has asked for new warnings on the use of epoetin drugs in correcting anaemia in cancer patients. The warnings should state blood transfusion was the preferred method, EMEA said, after a review concluded...

Controversial obesity drug gets qualified Nice recommendation.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Nice has given its qualified recommendation to the controversial obesity treatment rimonabant (Acomplia). The treatment, which has been linked to problems with suicidal ideation, has not been approved in the USA, although it is available in...

CLINICAL: Lack of evidence halts appraisal process.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Nice officials have halted appraisal processes for four cancer treatments because the makers failed to provide sufficient evidence. The treatments were bevacizumab in treating metastatic breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer,...

CLINICAL: Salmeterol cuts events.
July 5, 2008... Adding salmeterol to inhaled corticosteroids in asthma reduces the risk of severe exacerbations, a metastudy published by the Annals of Internal Medicine has confirmed. However, adding the long-acting bronchodilator did not appear to cut risk...

CLINICAL ALERTS: MHRA alerts and recalls.(Thalidomide Pharmion)(hCG Cassette )(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Thalidomide Pharmion has been authorised in the EU as part of a first- line combination treatment for untreated multiple myeloma in patients aged 65 years or over, and in those ineligible for high-dose chemotherapy. The treatment must be...

CLINICAL ALERTS: SPC Changes.(Brief article)(List)
July 5, 2008... Xenical 120mg hard capsules (orlistat) Changes including list of undesirable effects. Roche Products, 0800 3281629, medinfo.uk@roche.com APO-go PFS 5mg/ml solution for infusion in pre-filled syringe (apomorphine) Clarified information on...

CLINICAL NEWS: EMEA approves.
July 5, 2008... EMEA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use members have voted in favour of pramipexole (Oprymea) and lacosamide (Vimpat). They are used for, respectively, idiopathic Parkinson's disease, and as an adjunctive therapy in treating...

CLINICAL NEWS: FDA warns on Cellcept.(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... FDA officials have warned that cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy have been reported in patients receiving Cellcept, the mycophenylate mofetil anti-rejection treatment. http://tinyurl.com/4qeyzl Copyright: CMP...

CLINICAL NEWS: Wales unable to endorse.
July 5, 2008... An appraisal of the losartan-hydrochlorothiazide combination treatment COZAAR-Comp 100/ 12.5 has been halted by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group. http://tinyurl.com/5n4x5n Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

CLINICAL: Dementia patients pick herbal remedies.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Half of dementia victims take herbal extracts and vitamin supplements, researchers have told the Royal College of Psychiatrists' annual meeting. Most of the individuals do so without telling health professionals and few were aware of...

CLINICAL: Mortality raised in low vitamin D.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Low vitamin D levels may be associated with increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, an Archives of Internal Medicine study has suggested. Data from 3,258 male and female patients scheduled for coronary angiography found...

CLINICAL: Buprenorphine comes top.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... A study reported in the Lancet on the effectiveness of naltrexone and buprenorphine in 126 heroin-dependent subjects has come out in favour of buprenorphine. The authors wrote that the findings added support to the view that buprenorphine...

CLINICAL: Positive rotavirus results.
July 5, 2008... Sanofi Pasteur has claimed positive results for its pentavalent oral rotavirus vaccine RotaTeq. The Rotavirus Efficacy and Safety Trial shows an efficacy of 94 per cent in reducing hospital attendances due to rotavirus gastroenteritis....

HEALTHCARE OF LGB COMMUNITY: Out for a better service.
July 5, 2008... The lesbian, gay and bisexual community faces discrimination within the NHS, argues Stonewall's Jonathan Finney It's sometimes assumed by healthcare professionals that lesbian, gay and bisexual people don't have specific health needs as a...

Category M Barometer.(prices and rates of generic drugs)
July 5, 2008... While the instability caused by last year's dramatic category M clawback continues to spark debate, the tariff has since maintained a stable footing. The latest revision shows no significant change in the reimbursement value of category M for...

IN BRIEF: Treat their feet.(Novartis AG introduces a downloadable footcare guide )(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Novartis is targeting men with a downloadable footcare guide offering information on hygiene and making feet more presentable. A survey carried out for Novartis's Lamisil Once athlete's foot treatment found 75 per cent of men spend nothing on...

PRODUCT NEWS: For Aquafresher breath.(GlaxoSmithKline)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Aquafresh Extreme Clean Pure Breath toothpaste is the latest addition to the Aquafresh range. The new paste gives the triple protection of Aquafresh Extreme Clean and includes zinc to reduce breath odour by over 85 per cent immediately after...

PRODUCT NEWS: Oral-B targets caries.(Oral B Laboratories)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Oral-B's oral health symposium in Glasgow focused on the issue of dental caries. Leading experts spoke to delegates about the latest thinking on the diagnosis and management of dental caries. Dr Marc Hense, professional marketing manager at...

PRODUCT NEWS: GSK's oral campaign.(GlaxoSmithKline PLC)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... `Love Your Mouth' is the message GlaxoSmithKline is putting across to consumers in a new #3.65 million oralcare campaign. The oralcare awareness campaign is supporting GSK's five main oralcare brands - Aquafresh, Corsodyl, Macleans,...

PRODUCT NEWS: TV return.
July 5, 2008... Lil-lets is on TV this month for the first time in five years. The #1.5 million campaign will put across the `Designed for comfort' message, targeting women aged 30 to 45. The ads will be backed by press, PR and a relaunched website -...

PRODUCT NEWS: King of Shaves boasts Brit razor.(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Shaving products brand King of Shaves has launched a razor to go with the range. Claimed to be the first British designed, engineered and manufactured razor in over 100 years, the King of Shaves Azor has been developed by founder of the company...

PRODUCT NEWS: Flash a whiter smile.(product introduction of Sunstar GUM)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Sunstar GUM has launched a range of four tooth whitening products for a brighter smile. The Original White toothbrush is battery-operated and produces vibrations to activate micro-bubbles of foam to enhance the effect of Original White...

PRODUCT NEWS: Verrucas and warts get the big freeze.
July 5, 2008... New to the Carnation range for summer is Carnation Footcare Cryospray Verruca & Wart Remover Freeze spray. The freeze spray treats verrucas and warts quickly and effectively with just one application. The verrucas and warts then take 10 to...

PRODUCT NEWS: Oil's well in a capsule.
July 5, 2008... Aquamarine is a new fish oil product from Vitabiotics that combines omega 3 and cod liver oil in one capsule. They are orange flavoured so there is no fishy after-taste. Price: #6.95/60 capsules Pip code: 324-7277 Vitabiotics ...

PRODUCT NEWS: Poligrip for summer.(GlaxoSmithKline PLC)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Poligrip Ultra is being advertised on TV with a new campaign running until the end of July with a spend of #865,000. In a testimonial style advert, 65-year-old Geoff tells how Poligrip Ultra helps him to lead an active life. The ad ends...

PRODUCT NEWS: Soft Rosy for lips.(Unilever Group adds Vaseline Rosy Lips to its Vaseline range)(Brief article)
July 5, 2008... Vaseline Rosy Lips has been added to the Vaseline lip therapy range. The new variant contains rose and sweet almond oil to moisturise lips while giving them a soft pink tint. The new Lip Therapy addition is expected to further grow the...

OPINION: Training gets real.(training of pharmacy)
July 5, 2008... The white paper wants all pharmacy students to have `meaningful' clinical experience. Colin Rodden considers the practicalities There is an interesting section on undergraduate education in the Pharmacy in England White Paper. The...

Comment from the Editor: 12.07.08.(Editorial)
July 12, 2008... After the 60th birthday celebrations, the NHS went back to the business of health this week. Darzi's blueprint for the NHS in England was quickly followed by an implementation strategy for primary and community care services. While the...

Quality control key to the future.
July 12, 2008... Primary care strategy sets agenda to drive up the standards of NHS services and improve integration of care Zoe Smeaton Pharmacies of the future will have to demonstrate quality improvements and health outcomes under plans outlined by...

Fast action `vital'.(pharmacy contract )(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Industry leaders were positive about the impact parts of the primary care strategy could have on contractors but warned that action must be taken quickly to implement the plan. Mark James, group managing director for AAH Pharmaceuticals,...

Profession praised.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... The pharmacy profession received praise in the primary care strategy for its achievements in promoting health, performing diagnostic tests and offering convenient access to medicines. The report said 93 per cent of patients had been...

BITESIZE: Online boost.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Patients will be able to request repeat prescriptions online through a planned `HealthSpace' system for the NHS Choices website. The system will also allow online appointment booking and let patients update their personal medical records. ...

BITESIZE: Care records.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Pharmacy was once again given hope of gaining access to patient records, as the government promised to review access to the NHS Care Records Service to "embrace a fuller range of organisations". Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

BITESIZE: Vascular screening.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Pharmacists' role in a vascular risk assessment programme for those aged 40 to 74 was again confirmed as the DH committed to working with GPs, pharmacies and other services to agree how best to deliver the checks. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: C+D first for news.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... C+D has won an international award for news coverage. The fifth Tabbie Awards, run by Trade, Association and Business Publications International, were entered by more than 700 publications worldwide. C+D won gold for its coverage of RPSGB fee...

IN BRIEF: Health education needed.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... "Comprehensive" health education should be part of the national curriculum, MPs have recommended. Teaching people to self-care would enable pharmacies to become the first port of call for minor ailments, saving GPs' time, a cross-party report...

IN BRIEF: POM to P switch.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Diclofenac potassium 12.5mg tablets may now be supplied without prescription for short-term relief of headache, dental, period, rheumatic and muscular pain, backache and the symptoms of colds and flu in adults and children aged 14 years and...

#3.5m payout for prescription switches.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... PPD pledges to repay 90 per cent of difference following `system failure' Kathy Oxtoby/Jennifer Richardson Contractors who have lost money due to an increase in prescription switching will share #3.5 million in compensation, PSNC has...

Contractors slam compensation deal.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... The #3.5 million reimbursement package for prescription switching does not go far enough, some contractors felt. And there had been insufficient communication over both changes to the prescription pricing system and the compensation...

BITESIZE: Service prospectus.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Pharmacy and other services are to be listed in PCTs' guides to local services. The DH promised: "Everybody will be able to see what services are available in their area, how they can access them, and what the future plans are for local...

BITESIZE: The new 999.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Patients could soon be able to call a novel three-digit telephone number to help them "find the right services to meet their urgent, unplanned care needs". The government is assessing the options and will report findings in the autumn. ...

BITESIZE: Accreditation.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Pharmacists could face yet more regulatory red tape in the future as the Department of Health is committed to promoting the "widespread use of professional accreditation" to drive quality improvement. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

EPS Guide: Part 1 EPS countdown.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... C+D has teamed up with the NPA to bring you one-minute guides to everything you need to know about EPS. The electronic prescription service (EPS) will enable prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a dispenser of a patient's...

NHS-style rehab plan for underperformers.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Troubleshooting body brought in to tackle those seen to be falling short Rob Finch/Kathy Oxtoby Poorly performing pharmacists are to be referred to an official NHS troubleshooting body for retraining and education. The National...

BUILDING BRIDGES: How pharmacy might provide public health services.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Former Labour Party leader Margaret Beckett met up with Susan Youssef, a pharmacist at Dean & Smedley in Derby this week. The duo discussed how pharmacy might provide more public health services during the visit set up by C+D as part of our...

Welsh lobbying tactics bring promise of success.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Key policy makers in Wales have backed pharmacy, leaving contractors hopeful that the profession will prosper in future health strategies. Tony Jewell, chief medical officer for Wales, expressed his support for the profession at the annual...

Alcohol screening funded.(Wirral primary care trust)(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Wirral PCT turns to pharmacy in battle against high binge drinking rates Rob Finch Pharmacies in Wirral are helping patients beat binge drinking as part of a ground-breaking local initiative. Fifty-six contractors have teamed up...

Dispensary Talk: 12.07.08.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Will the NHS still exist in 60 years' time? "Not in its current format because it will have run out of money. The drain on NHS resources is increasing, so much so that they can't give pharmacists a decent wage." Michael Maguire, Marton...

Report on alcohol services imminent.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... The Royal Pharmaceutical Society will this week publish a report on how pharmacy can play a bigger part in tackling alcohol misuse. The study aims to identify how pharmacy-led services fit with government alcohol policies in England,...

Task force eyes supply chain safety.(Responsible Person's Committee meeting. )(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Pharmaceutical wholesalers have stepped up efforts to ensure supply chain safety at the first meeting of their Responsible Person's Committee meeting. The committee is a collaboration between the British Association of Pharmaceutical...

Reading the NHS road map.(United Kingdom. National Health Service)
July 12, 2008... How can pharmacy ensure it hits top gear under Lord Darzi's health vision? Rob Darracott of the Company Chemists' Association investigates Last week saw the publication of two important road maps for NHS service development. The Darzi...

Xrayser: Tackling the malaria menace.
July 12, 2008... I wasn't surprised to read that the number of people returning from exotic holidays with malaria is increasing. The number of UK residents visiting malaria endemic areas has increased by 150 per cent over the past decade, and getting them to...

Pharmacist in the House: We need to look backwards to move forwards.
July 12, 2008... Politicians spend much time looking forwards but the past week has been one for looking back. The two occasions that have prompted the introspection have been the NHS's 60th anniversary and the rather more private occasion of my daughter's hen...

Pharmacy Update: The root of the problems.
July 12, 2008... Dr Nigel Stollery Hair plays an important part in the expression of our personalities and communicates a lot about ourselves to others. The loss of hair in middle-aged males is something to be expected but for others, such as young...

Clinical News: Oxynorm packaging.(Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has introduced alternative container)(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... For a short period Napp Pharmaceuticals' oxycodone product OxyNorm concentrate 10mg/ml is to be supplied in bottles 7mm taller, making it difficult to remove all the contents. Napp is seeking an alternative container. Copyright: CMP...

Clinical News: Lower BP cuts dementia?(blood pressure )(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Results published by The Lancet Neurology suggest reducing blood pressure in patients over 80 might reduce risk of dementia. An accompanying editorial said BP treatment was important to prevent disease in this age-group, irrespective of whether...

Clinical News: Abilify licence extended.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Abilify (ariprazole) injection is now indicated for use in patients with manic episodes in bipolar disorder when oral therapy is not appropriate. This is in addition to the existing indication for schizophrenia. Bristol-Myers Squibb, 0800 731...

Clinical: Travellers ignore malaria risk.(Health Protection Agency )(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Statistics show that the burden of disease due to malaria has increased steadily over the past two decades, Health Protection Agency travel medicine experts have warned. Most of the cases seen in UK travellers were in patients visiting...

Clinical: SMC recommends Toviaz and Viread.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Scottish Medicines Consortium members have recommended fesoterodene (Toviaz) for the management of overactive bladder and tenofovir for treating patients with compensated liver disease due to hepatitis B infection. It has also judged...

Clinical: New launch tackles opioid constipation.(Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has launched its Relistor )(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has launched its Relistor (methylnaltrexone) treatment for adult patients in palliative care who do not responded to laxative therapy. The treatment, a peripherally-acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist, has been...

Clinical Alerts: New Products.(Brief article)
July 12, 2008... MicardisPlus 80mg/25mg tablets (telmisartan, hydrochlorothiazide) Fixed dose combination indicated where BP is not controlled on MicardisPlus 80mg/12.5mg and patients previously stabilised on telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide given...