Chemist & Druggist articles from May 2007

Chemist & Druggist archives from May 2007

Stakeholders debate key issues of royal college membership.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)
May 5, 2007... Representatives support leadership body but remain divided over the detail Tom Hawkins The inclusion of technicians and pharmaceutical scientists as full members of a royal college was one of the key issues thrashed out by leading...

reveals plan.(Mawdsleys Ltd. to provide a single order point for customers)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Wholesaler Mawdsleys is remaining upbeat following AstraZeneca's decision to channel orders through UniChem and AAH. In a letter to customers, the company lays out purchasing options, finance and marketing services, and technical and commercial...

CCA offers MHRA innovative pseudoephedrine solution.(Company Chemists' Association)(Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Multiple pharmacy groups have thrown their weight behind an innovative scheme from the USA in their efforts to stop the P to POM switch of products containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine. Within its package of recommendations to the MHRA,...

IN BRIEF: NPA practice leaflets.
May 5, 2007... The NPA has devised a template that enables members to develop practice leaflets that it claims save time on design and production while complying with the requirements of the new contract. Visit www.npa.co.uk or call 01727 858687 for more...

IN BRIEF: UniChem training pack.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... UniChem has launched a pre-registration training programme for independent pharmacy. The pack is designed to provide a one-stop-shop for pharmacists who are hosting a pre-reg student. For further information contact Sanjay Pathak on 020 8974...

IN BRIEF: TV licence fine for Boots.(Alliance Boots fined)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Alliance Boots has been fined after stores in Sutton and New Malden were prosecuted for having televisions in staff areas but no licence. The company pleaded guilty at Richmond Court and was fined #400 for each offence and #800 in costs....

IN BRIEF: Aspirin stroke risk.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... People who regularly take aspirin to ward off strokes in later life could be doing themselves more harm than good, particularly for people over the age of 75, according to research from the University of Oxford published in The Lancet...

IN BRIEF: Repackaging judgement.(British Association of European Pharmaceutical Distributors)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The BAEPD has praised a judgement from the European Court of Justice that repackaging is appropriate providing the rights of trademark owners are respected. The UK Appeal Court will rule on the implications of the judgement for the UK. ...

IN BRIEF: PBC rates level off.(practice based commissioning)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Uptake of incentive payments for practice-based commissioning has levelled at 96 per cent as of the end of March, figures from the Department of Health have revealed. In January, uptake stood at 94 per cent. GP representatives have said...

Lord Hunt hints at pharmacy service boost in contract review.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Max Gosney The Galbraith review will call on PCTs to step up commissioning of services from community pharmacy, Lord Hunt has revealed. "It's [the Galbraith review] really consistent with the discussions we've had around making the...

Smoking ban opportunity.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The head of the pharmaceutical society in Northern Ireland has called for pharmacists in the province to play their part in helping the public quit smoking now a ban is in place. Raymond Anderson, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of...

Rules for elite pharmacist revealed by the department.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The Department of Health has published guidance on the accreditation and commissioning of pharmacists with a special interest (PhwSI). The accreditation document outlines that PhwSIs will be expected to demonstrate competencies in line...

IN BRIEF: Celesio takes stake.(Celesio AG acquired DocMorris with plans to expand)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... German company Celesio has snapped up a majority stake in DocMorris, Europe's largest mail order pharmacy, which has ambitious plans to expand its franchise network to 500 pharmacies by 2012. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: NI pay awards.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Health minister Paul Goggins has said that pay rises for healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland will match the rest of the NHS. Awards of more than 1.5 per cent will be staged, with 1.5 per cent paid at April 1 and the remainder paid from...

IN BRIEF: Kent oncology session.
May 5, 2007... Weald of Kent RPSGB branch members have been invited to a talk by Dr Beesley, consultant oncologist from Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, on developments in chemotherapy on May 10. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Northants meets.(Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain's Lynsey Cleland )(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... RPSGB head of ethics Lynsey Cleland will give a talk on the code of ethics and controlled drugs for Northamptonshire branch members at Kettering Conference Centre on May 29 at 7.30pm. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: GSK wins injunction.(GlaxoSmithKline PLC)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... GSK has secured an injunction banning animal rights protestors from 18 of its sites across the UK. Campaigners have targeted the pharmaceutical firm for using research from the controversial Huntingdon Life Sciences. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: Campaign goes on air.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Thousands of people in Northern Ireland were shown the benefits of pharmacy this week when Ulster TV aired an advert as part of the NPA's Ask Your Pharmacist campaign. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Reckitt Benckiser rises.(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Forecasts for Reckitt Benckiser have been raised from single figures into the mid-teens after the company built on last year's increase in revenues with a 63 per cent jump in net income in the first quarter. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd....

Pharmacy potential not exploited in asthma care.
May 5, 2007... Improved primary care services could cut emergencies by 75 per cent Tom Hawkins Pharmacy bodies have called for contractors to play a greater role in the long-term management of asthma after a major report highlighted failings in...

Merger bears fruit for Boots.(Alliance Boots)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Alliance Boots, which is poised to go private in an #11.1 billion deal, has posted a rise in profits in its first annual results as a merged entity. Underlying earnings at the pharmacy group were just above analyst expectations, climbing...

Stop-smoking fraud.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... A London pharmacist has been found guilty of defrauding the NHS out of money earmarked for smoking cessation schemes and fined #3,000. Anil Shah, of Dearcare Pharmacy in Richmond Way, was accredited to provide stop-smoking programmes by...

IN BRIEF: Historic society meeting.(Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine's Nicholas Cambridge )(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Dr Nicholas Cambridge of the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at University College London is holding a meeting entitled Electricity and Enlightenment on May 9 at 6.30pm at the RPSGB in Lambeth. Copyright: CMP Information...

IN BRIEF: Faulty equipment plea.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is asking healthcare professionals to report faulty or deficient medical equipment to help prevent 1,500 incidents of serious injury or death every year. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: Internet trader jailed.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Martin Simon Hickman of Ashton-Under-Lyne was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and his company, MSH World Traders Ltd, was fined #20,000 for contempt after he failed to cease advertising medicinal products, including Viagra and the...

IN BRIEF: Job leaflet targets teens.(www.pharmacycareers.org.uk)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... RPSGB has launched a careers leaflet and updated its website www.pharmacycareers.org.uk in an effort to broaden the appeal of a career in pharmacy to people aged between 13 and 17 years. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Boots in carbon promise.
May 5, 2007... Alliance Boots sponsored this week's May Day Summit on climate change hosted by the Prince of Wales. More than 1,200 businesses pledged their commitment to move towards a low carbon economy. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: MHRA monitors PILs.(patient information leaflets)(Commission on Human Medicines Expert Advisory Group on Patient Information)(Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The Commission on Human Medicines Expert Advisory Group on Patient Information has developed a work plan to monitor progress in the improvement of patient information leaflets (PILs). www.mhra.gov.uk Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Alliance allays concerns.(NHS Alliance)(Primary Care Trusts)(National Health Service)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... NHS Alliance has advised the NHS Appointments Commission on the process of appointing non-executive directors to PCTs to ease concerns that arose following last year's reconfiguration of trusts. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Pharmacy makes its case for the record.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Six reasons why pharmacists should have electronic patient record access Ailsa Colquhoun Pharmacy representatives have outlined six reasons why community pharmacists should have access to the electronic patient record. In a...

All the fun of the fair.(Co-operative Group Pharmacy's annual conference and awards)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Staff from more than 400 Co-operative Group pharmacies chanced their arm on the coconut shy and got stuck into plenty of candyfloss during the annual conference and awards at the National Motorcycle Museum last week. David Wildman of Great...

Pharmacists to sign up CMS patients.(chronic medication service)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Scottish pharmacists have welcomed government promises of security for the forthcoming chronic medication service. Speaking at the Pharmacy Practitioner Champions day held in Edinburgh, Scottish Executive chief pharmaceutical officer Bill...

`Rosy' government reviews under fire.(British Heart Foundation and Mind The Mental Health Charity)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The British Heart Foundation and mental health charity Mind have criticised "over-optimistic" and "rosy" Department of Health reviews of the government's record on tackling heart disease and managing mental health. The reviews, by heart...

Your letters - A Practical Approach: trimethoprim and resistance.(Letter to the editor)
May 5, 2007... I follow the scenarios in David Spencer's Update Pharmacy with great interest, but have reservations about the line of action suggested in C+D, April 14, p28 when a GP wanted the pharmacist to supply trimethoprim for patients with cystitis by...

Your letters - College vote clarification.(Letter to the editor)
May 5, 2007... Your story entitled "Royalcollege: June vote?" (C+D, April 28, p6) may confuse some readers, suggesting as it does that Society members may get a vote on a royal college in the next few months. When I spoke to C+D I said - and you quoted -...

Your letters - Mawdsleys responds to market changes.(Letter to the editor)
May 5, 2007... Your editorial of April 28 (C+D, p14) quite rightly suggests that Mawdsleys should react quickly to the changing situation in the wholesale market. Rather contrary to your view, Mawdsleys' freedom from any European or retail ties allows us far...

Royal College of Pharmacists by pharmacists, for pharmacists.
May 5, 2007... Creating a Royal College of pharmacists, by pharmacists, for pharmacists is crucial, now that the government has decided to remove regulation from the RPSGB. Widespread discussion and a full debate must occur in order to create a vision for a...

Anticoagulation issue must be addressed.
May 5, 2007... We were pleased to read that Xrayser recognised the benefit of the work carried out by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) in relation to anticoagulation therapy, and agrees that the safety issues associated with this therapy need to be...

Lord Hunt's bullish comments must not go to waste.
May 5, 2007... The haste with which the latest Departmentof Health review into control of entry has been conducted questions the notion that the government machinery is a slow unwieldy beast. Launching the review earlier this year, health minister Andy...

Your views - Get one step ahead of the smoking ban.
May 5, 2007... With the smoking ban in mind, businesses are an ideal target for the proactive pharmacist, says Miriam Armstrong So much has been written recently about the imminent smoking ban in virtually all enclosed places and workplaces in England...

Northern Ireland Notebook: A new way.
May 5, 2007... Well, it's all over now. PSNI will soon be no more and frankly, no matter what the conservatives in our profession say, it is for the best. The regulations currently being put together in London will create a General Pharmaceutical...

Xrayser: Silly restrictions encourage silly behaviour.
May 5, 2007... As all sensible argument in the `Stop the Switch' campaign says, changing the legal classification of pseudoephedrine isn't likely to make much difference to illicit use of any drug in this country. And with illegal drug use generally falling...

Xrayser: These foolish things.
May 5, 2007... Sometimes it's the smallest things that make me happy. Like when a local surgery finally started prescribing perindopril in 30s instead of 28s. Or when a patient returns to say `thank you' after I gave them some advice that really made a...

Pharmacy Champions - Pharmacists leading the way.(Kay Crockatt, Co-op Pharmacy)(Interview)
May 5, 2007... Name: Kay Crockatt Pharmacy: Co-op Pharmacy, Hartlepool What has she done? Set up a seven-day service for the supervision of methadone What have you set up? We have created an area in the pharmacy specifically to handle...

Stop the Switch - Crystal maze.(Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency's poposals to restrict the availability of medicines containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine )
May 5, 2007... The MHRA wants to make pseudoephedrine prescription-only. But is there a more appropriate way to protect the public? Emma Wilkinson asks the experts MHRA proposals to reclassify medicines containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine to...

Pharmacy Update - Ulcerative colitis: an overview.(Medical condition overview)
May 5, 2007... The signs, symptoms and drug treatment of this uncommon condition Key points * UC is an uncommon chronic relapsing inflammatory disease involving the rectum and a variable extent of colon. * Patients with UC present commonly with...

Clinical News - Simvastatin switch could save billions.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Switching patients from branded statins to generic simvastatin could save billions of pounds, according to the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. A review weighing up the pros and cons of the five prescribable statins in the UK found that...

Clinical News - Diabetes prevention drugs unjustified.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Clinical use of glitazones to prevent onset of diabetes cannot currently be justified, say US experts. After analysing data from several trials, including the recent DREAM study, they found the evidence was not yet strong enough to justify...

Clinical News - Nice ICS combination draft.(National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence)(inhaled corticosteroids)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... A Nice consultation document on the use of ICS in adults and children over 12 years advises that decisions on combination or separate devices should be made on an individual basis, and where both are equally appropriate cost should be the...

Clinical News - Diabetes virus association found in rats.(Ljungan virus)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Researchers are speculating about a possible link between the Ljungan virus and diabetes, following the discovery that a widely researched laboratory `diabetes rat' strain of inbred rats is infected with the virus. The rats have been...

IN BRIEF: Using antidepressants.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Using antidepressants in addition to a mood stabiliser does not improve depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder, a US study has suggested. However, most European experts consider antidepressives to be useful and unlikely to induce mania in...

IN BRIEF: Roche.(plans of Roche Holding Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Roche has announced plans to reduce production of Tamiflu because supply has surpassed demand. Roche said it would maintain a buffer and would be able to respond speedily to a surge in demand. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF The scientific committee.(Abbott Laboratories's Humira got the approval from European Medicines Agency )(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency has granted a positive opinion recommending approval of Abbot's Crohn's disease treatment adalimumab (Humira). It has also announced opinions in favour of the primary insomnia treatment...

IN BRIEF: The over 65s feel.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The over 65s feel `unfairly targeted' by flu vaccination policies, a Welsh study suggests. Some felt they were singled out for vaccination despite being healthy and others thought having the jab would make them ill. Health education...

IN BRIEF: Taking low dose aspirin.(cognitive decline therapy)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Taking low dose aspirin does not protect older women against cognitive decline, despite evidence to suggest that anti-inflammatory drugs may be protective, a large US study has reported. BMJ, published online April 27, 2007 Copyright:...

IN BRIEF The Novartis hepatitis B.(drug approval)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The Novartis hepatitis B virus treatment telbivudine (Sebivo) has been approved by the European Commission. The treatment does not cure the infection but suppresses the virus and reduces the viral load, which in turn lowers the risk of serious...

Clinical News - New depression advice from Nice.(National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence )(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Nice has updated its guidelines on depression and anxiety to take account of MHRA safety advice on venlafaxine. Under the new recommendations, venlafaxine can be considered as second- line treatment for moderate to severe depression but...

Clinical News - Coeliacs wait years for diagnosis.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... People with coeliac disease do not receive their diagnosis until on average 13.1 years after symptoms appear, according to research sponsored by Coeliac UK. Many patients make repeated visits to their GP before learning the cause of their...

Products & Marketing - New image for Simple.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Skincare brand Simple has been updated with new-look packaging and new products. The range now features more than 100 products. Kind to Eyes balm contains jojoba oil, shea butter and pro-vitamin B5 to moisturise and refresh the skin around...

Products & Marketing - Piriton reacts to hayfever season.(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... A #4 million marketing campaign for Piriton Allergy Tablets begins this week. The pharmacy-only treatment will be seen on TV, outdoor and press advertising, reports GSK. Running until the end of August, the TV activity comprises three 20-...

Products & Marketing - Lavender treats from Yardley.
May 5, 2007... Lavender Spa is a new range of toiletries from Yardley. Designed to appeal to a younger audience, the products have a contemporary look. There are four products in the range - eau de toilette, body spray, shower creme and body lotion - all...

Products & Marketing - ALLERcalm aids allergic reactions.(Actavis)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... First aid for relief from allergies is available in the form of ALLERcalm tablets from Actavis. The P tablets, which contain chlorphenamine maleate 4mg, are said to calm allergic reactions to food, medicines, pets, insects, hayfever and...

Products & Marketing - Believe in the power of Ibuleve.
May 5, 2007... Ibuleve, the painkilling gel, is appearing on national TV channels this month in a part dance, part music video featuring the Robson and Jerome hit, `I Believe'. The ad uses the song's lyrics to evoke the freedom of movement that Ibuleve...

Products & Marketing - Glucosamine in meltdown.
May 5, 2007... Glucosamine Meltdown 1,500mg is a new orodispersable melt-in-the-mouth orange-flavoured once daily version of this food supplement that is widely used in the managed care of osteoarthritis. It avoids the difficulty in swallowing that is...

IN BRIEF: Flex those joints.
May 5, 2007... A Joint-Flex 1000 range has been launched by Health Perception. There are two daily variants: Joint-Flex 1000 provides 1,000mg glucosamine while Joint-Flex 1000 Rosehip offers glucosamine, chondroitin and rosehip extract. Prices: #9.99/60,...

Time for wholesale change?
May 5, 2007... Wholesalers are efficient and have built unique strengths with the twice-daily delivery model and intimacy with customers at the NHS coal face. So why is this being abandoned in favour of direct to pharmacy models? Can wholesaling survive in...

Time for wholesale change?(supply chain management)
May 5, 2007... Whose move is it? Counterfeiting is the last straw The current situation of pharmaceutical companies looking to supply pharmacies directly shouldn't be a surprise. A decade ago GSK adroitly seized first mover advantage with the `agency...

Wholesaler navigates.(AAH Pharmaceuticals)(Company overview)
May 5, 2007... THE NEW WORLD OF PHARMACY There aren't many companies in the UK which process more transactions than a High Street bank. But it's part of daily life for the country's leading wholesaler AAH Pharmaceuticals The statistics are...

AAH conference - Foundation partnerships.(AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Community pharmacists who want to roll out new health services should consider working with foundation trusts, a senior NHS chief executive told delegates at the AAH conference. Foundation trusts are not accountable to the Department of...

AAH conference - What are NHS foundation trusts?
May 5, 2007... * Set up by Parliament to provide NHS services; have no shareholders; surpluses are reinvested in services. * Free from central control to provide local services for local people. * Have financial freedom. * Deliver community...

AAH Conference - Pharmacy in Scotland.(AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd.)(Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The speaker: Harry McQuillan, chief executive, SPGC. The topic: Pharmacy in Scotland. The new contract's minor ailment service: * 700,000 patients have been registered since the launch in June 2006. * Supporting IT...

AAH Conference - Pharmacy in Wales.(AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd.)
May 5, 2007... The speaker: Mark Griffiths, chairman, Cambrian Alliance. The topic: Pharmacy in Wales. The threats: * Downward pressure on profits: PPRS adjustments have made a "significant number of parallel imports unviable" and category M...

AAH Conference - PBC rollout.(practice based commissioning)
May 5, 2007... The speaker: Michelle Webster, assistant director, PBC development programme The topic: PBC The challenges: * Waning enthusiasm from GPs. * Ongoing primary care reconfigurations have stifled GP innovation. * Lack of good...

Dispensing robots the answer to increasing script volume.
May 5, 2007... Dispensing `robots' are becoming a cost-effective option for pharmacies dispensing 10,000 or more items a months, suggests George Romanes, who has been using a Consis A2 machine that cost #50,000 in his Dunns Pharmacy for nearly four months....

PCTs stumbling block for Weldricks ETP rollout.(Primary Care Trusts)(Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... Getting smartcards and payment for N3 connectivity out of PCTs were two difficulties encountered by Weldricks when ETP was rolled out across its 53 pharmacies, according to managing director David Vanns. The company was not involved in any...

Link Evolution.(drug dispensing)(Brief article)
May 5, 2007... The number of Link users has climbed to 2,763 since Link Evolution was launched towards the end of 2005, according to AAH's customer technology controller Leon Rudd. "AAH is working across all the national IT programmes, and has recently...

Pharmacy urged to tackle PBC crisis.(practice-based commissioning)
May 12, 2007... Survey highlights gulf in communication between contractors and PBC groups Max Gosney Pharmacy must take emergency action to improve relations with GPs or lose out under practice-based commissioning plans, a poll of PCT chiefs has...

GPs set out reform plans.(Brief article)
May 12, 2007... The British Medical Association has devised a 24-point plan to reform NHS services in England. The discussion document, entitled A Rational Way Forward for the NHS in England, is the culmination of nine months of research into the...

IN BRIEF: Scottish roadshow.
May 12, 2007... The Scottish Pharmacy Board is asking members for feedback at a series of roadshows. Events will take place in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee in May and June. www.rpsgb.org Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Coeliac Awareness Week.(Brief article)
May 12, 2007... UniChem has teamed up with Juvela, the provider of gluten-free products, to support Coeliac Awareness Week from May 14 to 20. A poster has been created to highlight how one in 100 people with symptoms associated with IBS may have coeliac...

IN BRIEF: Trust in pharmacists.(Brief article)
May 12, 2007... Pharmacists have come second to firefighters as the most trusted profession in the UK, a Reader's Digest study has revealed. In 2002, pharmacists had the confidence of 95 per cent of the UK, rising to 96 per cent in 2007, the study found. ...

IN BRIEF: A career in journalism?(pharmacists and pre-registration students eligible to study medical journalism)(Brief article)
May 12, 2007... Pharmacists and pre-registration students are now eligible to study medical journalism at the University of Westminster. The one year, full- time course offers either a BA or a postgraduate diploma in medical journalism....

IN BRIEF: Call for action on asthma.(Brief article)
May 12, 2007... A group of asthma specialists led by Professor Stephen Holgate has called on MPs to take action to ease the plight of asthma sufferers across Europe. The group demands that policy makers respond to the developing understanding of asthma and...

Pressure prompts MHRA to reveal new evidence.(Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)
May 12, 2007... Agency releases details of mystery shopper operation Ailsa Colquhoun The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency has extended its consultation on the proposed P to POM switch of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine medicines in light of...