Chemist & Druggist articles from March 2004

Chemist & Druggist archives from March 2004

Fair funding needed, Andrews tells minister.
March 6, 2004... PSNC chairman Barry Andrews has told health minister Rosie Winterton that the new pharmacy contract must be properly remunerated. "Current funding arrangements are unfair. Future funding must be fair," he told the minister in front of 600...

Minister hints at problems over control of entry.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Health minister Rosie Winterton has hinted at difficult times ahead over the implementation of changes to the control of entry regulations. Shortly before publishing a summary of responses to its `balanced package of measures' proposals...

PSNC finds `enormous' hole in pension fund.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... PSNC has identified an "enormous hole" in the final salary pension scheme it runs with the NPA and Numark. An actuarial valuation at the end of 2003 found a hole in the fund that would require an additional #255,000 for each of the next...

Primary care strategy expected soon.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Northern Ireland is to have a primary care strategy uniting the various health professions' strategies. Director of primary care at the DHSSPS, Dr Jim Livingstone, said last week that a draft would be published shortly and a formal consultation...

New pharmacy strategy calls for a new contract.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Pharmaceutical Contractors' Committee chairman Sheelin McKeagny has urged the Government to start work on a new pharmacy contract for Northern Ireland, following the recent pharmacy strategy. At the 15th annual PCC dinner in Craigavad last...

NI strategy needs clarity.(Northern Ireland pharmacy regulation)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... A leading pharmacy wholesaler has called for clarification of some of the proposals in Northern Ireland's pharmacy strategy. There is uncertainty over areas such as the provision of extended services, remuneration, medicines management and...

LPS site launched.(local pharmaceutical service )(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... A website carrying evaluation of local pharmaceutical service pilots has been launched by Manchester University with DoH funding. The National Evaluation of LPS Pilots website also has: information about current LPS pilots; background...

PIA is preferred.(Association of Pharmacy Technicians)(Pharmacy Insurance Agency )(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The representative body for pharmacy technicians has chosen The Pharmacy Insurance Agency as the preferred supplier of legal defence and professional indemnity insurance cover for its members. The Association of Pharmacy Technicians said it...

ETP live from Jan 05.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Roll out of the electronic transfer of prescriptions system can be expected from January 2005, the health minister has announced. Work on ETP deployment is now concentrating on community pharmacy, said Rosie Winterton, and on how it can be...

Wales consults on oxygen services.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The Welsh Assembly is inviting comments on the future provision of domiciliary oxygen services. The consultation letter outlines the DoH-proposed model for England, but says that a different contract for Wales could be produced. In...

Pharmacy Alliance plans services roll out.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Pharmacy Alliance, UniChem's health improvement programme and professional services organisation, is to launch or extend a range of services this spring. Among those that will be launched will be one allowing community pharmacists to help...

Fighting fund for European campaign.(Health Food Manufacturers' Association )(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The Health Food Manufacturers' Association has launched a fighting fund to continue its campaign for changes in the Food Supplements Directive. The HFMA is looking to raise #200,000 to cover legal costs of a challenge in the European Court...

SDEA launches legal helpline.(Shop and Display Equipment Association )(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The Shop and Display Equipment Association has launched a 24-hour legal advice service for members. A team of solicitors, barrister, legal executives, employment, personnel, health and safety and taxation experts are on hand to answer members'...

Double Deals.(Rowlands )(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Rowlands has introduced a new theme to its promotional gondola ends. Double Deals gives the consumer a saving incentive when purchasing two products. The offers cover a cross-section of OTC toiletry lines and is backed by merchandising...

Yamanouchi and Fujisawa merge.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Yamanouchi has agreed to buy fellow Japanese firm Fujisawa for around #4.1 billion in an all-share deal that will create Japan's largest pharmaceutical company. The merged company will rank 17th in the global pharmaceutical market. ...

Activa moves for growth.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Activa Healthcare has moved to larger, purpose built premises in Burton on Trent. Its new offices at 1 Lancaster Park, Newborough Road, Needwood, include a compression therapy training room for health professionals, bigger warehousing and...

Brunel to distribute Efamol.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Brunel Healthcare has been appointed to handle distribution of the Efamol range in the UK. The move follows the recent acquisition of Efamol Ltd, including the brands Efalex and Efamol, by a Yorkshire management team led by Bob Jackson, Peter...

J&J buys Merck interest in European joint venture.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Johnson & Johnson has agreed to buy Merck's 50 per cent stake in its European non-prescription pharmaceuticals joint venture Johnson & Johnson. MSD Europe for an undisclosed sum. Once completed, the acquisition will give Johnson & Johnson...

Vantage offers a spring Mini adventure.(Vantage Refresh Pharmacies promotion)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... One lucky Vantage Pharmacy customer will drive away in a brand new BMW Mini courtesy of AAH Pharmaceuticals, as part of a spring promotion. All Vantage Refresh Pharmacies are being offered the chance to display leaflets advertising the free...

MHRA publishes naming guidelines.(Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The MHRA has published guidelines on naming products in umbrella sectors. As a rule, MHRA says it "encourages applicants to develop new product names without umbrella segments for each product". However, it "will consider on its merits...

Pharmacist warns others to check AAH invoices.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... A Middlesex pharmacist has warned others to check their invoices from AAH Pharmaceuticals carefully after products she ordered were listed out of stock and replaced with more expensive items. On another occasion the product she ordered,...

UniChem best practice near completion.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... UniChem is on course to complete a #20 million best practice roll out at its UK distribution centres. The programme has included upgrading the dispatch and scanning system at its Livingstone branch, a warehouse rebuild at Croydon and a new...

Axis aims for pivotal healthcare supplies.(Axis Medicare)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... A new healthcare products supplier has launched this week, claiming to meet core customer service values such as quality and price, plus best advice. Axis Medicare has been set up by Trevor Leese, its commercial manager, who said: "This is...

Choice and competition test may not improve control of entry rules.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Government advisors have questioned whether the new test for choice and competition set out in the Government's control of entry proposals will enhance the current contract application. In the summary of responses to the consultation on the...

Vision responses question place of POM to P.(prescription only medicines and pharmacy practice)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Pharmacists have a definite role in self-care and providing health and lifestyle advice, but not necessarily with more non-prescription medicines, the summary of consultation responses to the Vision for Pharmacy in the new NHS strategy document...

Day Lewis Hassocks branch re-opened.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The refurbished Day Lewis Hassocks branch was officially re-opened by Dame Vera Lynn last Tuesday. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by many in the local community and was accompanied by a #400 Day Lewis donation to the Dame Vera Lynn...

PAGB PERSPECTIVE: What's in a name?(Proprietary Association of Great Britain on brand name drugs)
March 6, 2004... Think of what the brand name means to the patient and always remind them to read the label, says PAGB director Sheila Kelly Shakespeare may have thought that a rose by any name would smell as sweet but that's not how consumers view the...

Comment from the Editor.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 6, 2004... Guests at the PSNC dinner on Monday may have been surprised at the warmth of the reception extended to health minister Rosie Winterton. Despite PSNC chairman Barry Andrews's comments about the inadequacies of the recent pay imposition, the...

Opinion.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Last week's question was: NPA chairman Hemant Patel believes all pharmacists should take an oath to uphold professional standards as clinicians. Do you agree? "Why not? It wouldn't do any harm and may increase our professional standing."...

YOUR VIEWS: A valuable lesson to learn.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Geoff Mackay of AAH welcomes Scotland's progress on the IT front I read that a recent report on Scotland's IT pharmacy project criticised those in charge of having a "slow" and sometimes "piecemeal" IT strategy. In many ways, Scotland...

NORTHERN IRELAND NOTEBOOK: Making it Better - but will it?(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... This week I thought of Oscar Wilde's quip: "Be careful what you wish for: you might just get it." My thoughts of the cynical Mr Wilde were prompted when reading that something I have wished for for many years had finally arrived (C&D,...

Another case for being able to amend scripts.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Last autumn Aventis decided unilaterally that instead of the single form of capsules for generic ramipril there would be tablets as well. At a stroke it doubled my stockholding and increased the eventual generic price, as it is more expensive...

Drug waste and the need for communication.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... As responsibility for medication management devolves away from GPs, I am becoming increasingly aware of the problems of effective management. Recently I had returned to me six months' supply of enalapril by the GP on behalf of an elderly...

Reverting to type.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Out of last week's heavy C&D fell a rather handsome booklet from Pfizer. The Vision seems to be its attempt to define changing patient patterns and highlight ways of exploiting - in the most worthy sense - the opportunities brought through...

LPC CONFERENCE: NEL refusal to pay levy is `immoral'.(North East London Local Pharmaceutical Committee)
March 6, 2004... Gary Paragpuri reports on Monday's conference North East London LPC's refusal to pay its levy to PSNC for the past two years is "immoral" as it means all the other LPCs have been subsidising them, Brian Wilkins, Salford LPC warned at...

LPC CONFERENCE: Script switching and skill mix top LPC debate.(Local Pharmaceutical Committees)
March 6, 2004... Prescription switching, skill mix and corporate governance were the key topics for debate at the conference. Rather than dwell on last month's pay imposition, delegates accepted 10 of the 14 motions, often with little or no debate. ...

LPC CONFERENCE: Focus on future, says Andrews.(Local Pharmaceutical Committees)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Pharmacy contractors' sights were focused firmly on the opportunities of the new contract at the annual LPC conference in London on Monday. "It offers community pharmacy a unique opportunity. How we respond is up to us," PSNC chairman...

PSNC goals for 2004.(Pharmaceutical Society Negotiating Committee)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... * Securing best possible funding arrangements for the new contract. Roadshows where contractors will be able to examine the small print are planned for late April/May. * Provide rewards for advanced service providers and time for...

Letter: Why the Society should withdraw the Charter petition.(Letter to the Editor)
March 6, 2004... We will resist the urge, tempting though it is, to trade personal insults with Peter Curphey (C&D, Feb 28, p16) and concentrate instead on any matters of substance that lie buried beneath the weight of his diatribe. As far as we can tell...

Avicenna website.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The Avicenna website is to host advice and model Standard Operating Procedures on its website for members. Speaking at the recent Avicenna conference, Michelle Styles, head of information at the NPA outlined how SOPs can help in improving...

Letter: Why Hull has given money to the SOS campaign.(Letter to the Editor)
March 6, 2004... Much has been written about modernisation, the draft new Charter, the work of the RPSGB Modernisation Steering Group and the Save Our Society Campaign. So much so perhaps that some pharmacists are switching off - or were not turned on in the...

PHARMACY UPDATE: After an attack.(advising post-heart attack patients)
March 6, 2004... Dr Mike Mead explains the rationale behind managing the post-myocardial infarction patient Objectives * To be able to offer lifestyle advice to these patients * To know which drugs should be used post-MI * To be aware of the...

Two products are best for RA.(rheumatoid arthritis)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Two is better than one, at least when it comes to treating rheumatoid arthritis, researchers from the UK, USA and Europe have claimed. Patients who used etanercept and methotrexate together experienced significantly greater benefit than...

Cholesterol drug explained.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... UK scientists have discovered how cholesterol absorption inhibitors work, with the identity of a protein called NPC1L1. Ezetrol (ezetimibe) is the first in the cholesterol absorption inhibition class and is usually prescribed in conjunction...

Too much fluid can be harmful.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... "Stay at home and drink plenty of fluids" may not be the best advice for a cold after all, say researchers from Australia. Taking on too much fluid during a cold can be dangerous and lead to irritability, confusion, lethargy, even coma and...

How stress affects heart.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The cumulative effect of the mental and emotional stresses of daily life adversely affects heart health, claim US researchers. High levels of negative emotions were linked to the heart's reduced ability to respond to stress, said the...

Distamine SPC change.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The SPC for Distamine tablets (D-penicillamine 125mg and 250mg) has been updated and includes updated information on dosage and use in patients with renal insufficiency. The SPC now recommends that patients should take Distamine on an...

Movicol for kids.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Norgine has launched Movicol Paediatric Plain (6.9g sachet including 6.5g macrogol 3350, powder for oral solution) for treating faecal impaction in children two years old and over. The dosage is as follows: 2-4 years ...

Canesten takes a dual approach to treating thrush.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Women now have the "ultimate Canesten product" available to them, claims Bayer. Canesten Duo combines Canesten Oral (150mg fluconazole) and the cream (2 per cent clotrimazole). The `P' pack offers women a quick acting capsule to treat...

Germoloids grows in size.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Bayer is introducing Germoloids Cream in a larger size and relaunching its suppositories and ointment combination pack as Germoloids Duo. The new 55g size of Germoloids Cream is suitable for frequent haemorrhoid sufferers. The cream is...

Pharmacy-only painkiller is a fast mover.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is launching a pharmacy-only 30 tablet pack of Panadol ActiFast. The tablets contain paracetamol and sodium bicarbonate to promote stomach emptying and aid rapid absorption for fast pain relief. ...

Mycota puts the boot in.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Mycota athlete's foot remedy will be advertised at 10 rugby Super League games this year. There will be two 1 metre x 6m signs in a prime position at each UK game. All the rugby matches will be televised by either Sky or the BBC. A...

Nivea reveals all for summer.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Beiersdorf is expanding its Nivea Sun range with several new products for 2004. Pampering Protection Mousse SPF8 and 15 is a new non-sticky mousse containing vitamin E. Satin Sheen Sun Lotion has been introduced in SPF8 as well as the...

Oxy goes to the movies.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Oxy is coming to the big screen this month as part of a #930,000 support package targeted at teenagers aged 16 and over. The campaign will be screened nationally across 2,000 Odeon and UCI cinemas from March 12 until April 26. Two...

Lingerie offer.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Procter & Gamble has teamed up with online lingerie company Figleaves to launch a nationwide on-pack promotion for Alldays pantyliner. Until April, Alldays packs will feature a #5 voucher that can be redeemed online at www.figleaves.com...

SMOKING CESSATION: Quitting comes of age.
March 6, 2004... Fifty years ago,the government officially recognised that smoking causes cancer; 29 years later the first No Smoking Day was launched and March 10 sees the initiative's 21st birthday. Asha Fowells reports Next week's No Smoking Day will see...

SMOKING CESSATION: Demand increases for award-winning support service.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Pharmacist Nilesh Shah was delighted when he found out he had been named Smoking Cessation Supporter of the Year at the 2003 Quitter of the Year awards ceremony (C&D, December 6, p42). Mr Shah has provided a smoking cessation service from...

SMOKING CESSATION: Leicester pharmacy offers ad hoc quit advice.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Pharmacists Eileen Taylor and Sue Patterson are not part of a smoking cessation project but this does not deter them from offering a smoking cessation service on an opportunistic basis. The service is offered from Mason & Son pharmacy in...

SMOKING CESSATION: Smoking and fertility.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... The first report on the impact of tobacco on reproductive and child health was published by the British Medical Association recently. The report estimated that: * 120,000 men aged 30-50 are impotent as a result of smoking * smoking is...

SMOKING CESSATION PRODUCT NEWS: Smokerlyzer System.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Launched last October, the Smokerlyzer System (#39.95) comprises a personal carbon monoxide monitor and a manual covering the three stages of the quit process (preparation, action and prevention of relapse) and advice on NRT and Zyban. The...

SMOKING CESSATION PRODUCT NEWS: Is Nicotine Locking You In.(Honeyrose Products Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Honeyrose Products has launched a new advertising campaign for its range of herbal cigarettes and smoking mixtures entitled "Is Nicotine Locking You In?" Advertisements will feature over three months in trade and consumer health titles such as...

SMOKING CESSATION PRODUCTS NEWS: NiQuitin CQ fashion awards.(London College of Fashion )(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... GlaxoSmithKline recently teamed up with the London College of Fashion to try and change the perception that the fashion industry glamorises smoking. Over 100 students entered the NiQuitin CQ fashion awards that were judged by a panel of fashion...

SMOKING CESSATION: Further information.(Directory)
March 6, 2004... Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) can provide detailed information on government policy and reports. Tel: 020 7739 5902 www.ash.org.uk The No Smoking Day campaign can provide a range of resources for pharmacists providing smoking...

SMOKING CESSATION: Facts and figures.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Statistics provided by the No Smoking Day organisation show: * Around 12 million adults in the UK smoke - 28 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women. This contrasts with 30 years ago when nearly half the UK adult population smoked. *...

INSIGHT: Building on the best.
March 6, 2004... In December the Government published its views on how better use can be made of the NHS. Richard King reviews the implications and opportunities for pharmacy Building on the Best is the wide-ranging report the Department of Health...

Faculty of Public Health - Appointment.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... PharmacyHealthLink chief executive Miriam Armstrong has been invited to become a member of the Faculty of Public Health. The faculty acts as an authoritative body for consultation in public health matters and promotes advancement of knowledge...

IVAX Pharmaceuticals - Appointment.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... IVAX Pharmaceuticals has announced the appointment of Steve Passmore as director of UK brands. Previously UK brands head of sales, Mr Passmore will be responsible for the sales and marketing of IVAX's portfolio of respiratory products. ...

Just as hard for chemystes back in days of Shakespeare.(Pharmaceutical Contractors' Committee's annual dinner )(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Guests at the Pharmaceutical Contractors' Committee's annual dinner last Friday were treated to some high culture as Patrick Slevin turned to Romeo and Juliet. With several of Northern Ireland's paymasters among those attending, Mr Slevin...

`Ring of fire' ad for piles a bum idea.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Advertising executives thought they had hit on a sure-fire winner when they thought of using the Johnny Cash song Ring of Fire to promote Preparation H. The idea was even backed by the song's co-writer Merle Kilgore, who said he had often...

Kindhearted pharmacist pays for family's trip to Disney World.(Oakleigh Pharmacy)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Mr and Mrs Savas of Whetstone, North London, were surprised and delighted when their local pharmacist, Ajit Shah, offered to pay for a trip to Disney World for them. Their daughter, Anastasia, has cystic fibrosis, and the family always goes to...

Toys donated to kids' casualty department.(Leicester Royal Infirmary)(Medicine Box Chemist)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... When Unnat Patel of Medicine Box Chemist in Leicester held a raffle for Cancer Research UK recently, the winner of the giant teddy bear asked him to donate the prize to the local children's casualty unit. Mr Patel had already given two...

Pre-match drink.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2004... Some 20 pharmacists and their partners were invited to a pre-match drink at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium by the wholesaler Phoenix prior to the first Six Nations rugby championship match. Pictured at the event on February 14 is Wendy...

Scots plan for control of entry and contract.
March 13, 2004... The Scottish Executive says NHS boards should offer financial incentives for pharmacists to provide NHS services in areas of need, and control services where there is over-provision. In addition, all pharmacists providing pharmaceutical...

Supervision.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2004... The Health Department is proposing to replace the current requirement that medicines are dispensed by or under the direct supervision of a pharmacist. Instead, "supervision" will be taken to mean ensuring safe systems of work, enabling...

New contract in 2005.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2004... The new pharmacy contract should come into effect in the year 2005-06, although elements may be phased in during 2004-05, the document says. The Scottish Executive and Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council have agreed an outline framework...

Proposals offer `comfort'.(Scottish Pharmaceutical Federation)(proposals for community pharmacy policy)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2004... Frank Owens, SPGC chair, told C&D that the proposals offered some comfort. The existing community pharmacy network was still regarded as the main route through which patients would access NHS pharmaceutical care, while allowing for gaps in...

Contractor pharmacist to have place on CHPs.(Community Health Partnership)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2004... Every Community Health Partnership (CHP) in Scotland should include a pharmacist whose name is included in a pharmaceutical list, say draft regulations published this week. CHPs will be responsible for managing or directing independent...

Date set for Charter claim hearing.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2004... The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's application for a quick decision in its legal dispute with the SOS group over the new Charter will be heard in London's Royal Courts of Justice on May 18. RPSGB president Gill Hawksworth said: "We were...

Seven from SOS to seek election.
March 13, 2004... Seven SOS candidates will stand for election to the RPSGB's Council, the group has announced. The seven SOS candidates will pledge to withdraw the existing petition for a new Charter if elected, SOS said. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

COPD posters to raise awareness.(British Thoracic Society)
March 13, 2004... The British Thoracic Society COPD Consortium is asking pharmacists to display a poster to raise awareness of the condition. Entitled "Trouble with breathing?" the poster advises patients to see their GP or practice nurse for a breathing...

Children using anti-fat drug.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2004... Thousands of children are prescribed the anti-obesity drug orlistat annually, health minister Melanie Johnson has said. In 2002, an estimated 3,000 prescriptions for the drug were for children out of a total of 541,400, she said. ...

Feeling ruff?
March 13, 2004... Feeling ruff? Then you and your best friend could have popped to Crufts for some expert advice from a canine pharmacist. Geoff and John Watson of Hyperdrug Pharmaceuticals in Teesdale, County Durham, have been providing veterinary products at...

Pharmacists to be given conflict resolution training.
March 13, 2004... Pharmacists will get access to conflict resolution training from next month. Staff will be trained to recognise and diffuse potentially violent situations using non-physical intervention techniques. Pharmacists will be able to book the...

Post office benchmark.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2004... Shadow health minister Andrew Lansley has called for community pharmacists to be given the same level of security as post offices. Mr Lansley told C&D: "They [pharmacies] need shutters and video cameras and the full co-operation of the...