Chemist & Druggist articles from September 2005

Chemist & Druggist archives from September 2005

Welsh entry proposals tighten up `loophole'.
September 3, 2005... Welsh doctors applying to dispense in rural areas will face tougher rules under new proposals to reform the control of entry regulations in Wales. The proposals come in a new Welsh Assembly consultation, Proposal to reform the NHS...

Society warns of over-regulation.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The RPSGB has warned that community pharmacists are having to cope with increasing amounts of regulation. In its response to the Government's review of non-medical professional regulation (known as the Foster Review), the Society points...

Wood reassures Numark members.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Numark chief executive David Wood has reassured members that the organisation will continue to champion the interests of independent pharmacy in the event of a takeover by wholesaler Phoenix. Keeping members happy would be vital to the...

IN BRIEF: Lipitor recall.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has issued a Class 3 recall for Lipitor 10mg tablets (atorvastatin calcium). Bearing the batch number 0533094G and expiry date 08/2007, blister strips of the affected stock have been...

IN BRIEF: Prince of Wales orders CAM report.(Complementary and Alternative Medicine)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The Prince of Wales has commissioned an independent report on the benefits of complementary therapies, which will be published later this year. A Clarence House spokeswoman confirmed a report in The Times newspaper that Sir Christopher...

On the lookout for a pharmacist.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Fancy a cruise down the Amazon? Charity funded medical ship the Amazon Hope 2 is on the lookout for a pharmacist to help with its mission to provide healthcare for over 100,000 people in Peru. The Amazon Hope 2, which is operated by the Vine...

Report calls for clampdown on illegal e-pharmacies.
September 3, 2005... Tougher measures are needed to prevent the supply of dangerous drugs via illegal internet pharmacies, a new report has warned. Current regulations fail to stop illegitimate web-based operators cashing in on Prescription Only Medicines...

Boots staff make a stand over new tills.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Boots's decision to introduce standing-only tills at some stores is illegal and could leave staff with health problems, the union for shop workers has warned. Failing to offer checkout workers seating at stores in Manchester and the...

Online pharmacy support suite launched.
September 3, 2005... A London pharmacist is launching an online suite to help independent contractors meet clinical governance, medicines use review and standard operating procedure requirements. As reports can be sent electronically to primary care...

Epilepsy campaign.(medical campaigns)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... A campaign urging patients with epilepsy to take control of their condition has been launched through pharmacies. Organised by the charity Epilepsy Action, the Take Control initiative aims to help those with epilepsy understand their...

Keele to open School of Pharmacy.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... A new School of Pharmacy is due to open at Keele University next year, subject to accreditation by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. The SoP will complement the Staffordshire institute's existing pharmacy postgraduate offering. Steve...

Merck criticised over Vioxx settlement bias.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Legal experts have slammed Merck over its decision to favour settlement of Vioxx lawsuits with claimants who used the drug for over 18 months. The pharmaceutical firm's policy was unsatisfactory and unfair said Dr Sarah Richards, a...

Scotland to input on NICE appraisals process.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... England and Wales could soon be using Scottish decisions on new drugs as a way of speeding up their appraisals system. Currently the National Institute for Clinical Excellence assesses new drugs in England and Wales and conducts a long,...

NPA shows the friendly face of pharmacy.(National Pharmacy Association)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The National Pharmacy Association is spending #250,000 to launch its "developed and revitalised" Ask Your Pharmacist media campaign. Using the NPA's new corporate identity unveiled in July (C&D, July 9, p4), five ads are making their debut...

Use of P for paediatric medicines would be confusing, says RPSGB.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The RPSGB is against using `P' as a way of identifying paediatric medicines owing to the confusion it would create with the Pharmacy Only class of medicines. The RPSGB was responding to the MHRA's Consultation on the European Commission's...

Britons do not consult over pain relief, study finds.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... More than half of headache sufferers (57 per cent) take tablets that are not the most effective for their symptoms. And less than 30 per cent of people suffering from painful muscle cramps are treating their condition effectively. These...

Wholesalers back fuel fee.
September 3, 2005... Pharmacists could be hit with a fuel surcharge by wholesalers as operators struggle to absorb the impact of rocketing oil prices. Wholesalers backed an extra fee to cover record fuel costs, which have been hit by security fears in Saudi...

Returnees must demonstrate capability.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The RPSGB believes that those who leave the pharmacy profession and then wish to return should be required to update their skills if they have spent more than one year out of practice. They should also be able to demonstrate that skills and...

Free cholesterol check.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Boots put MP and Greater Easterhouse MSP Margaret Curran through a free cholesterol check at the multiple's flagship Glasgow Fort store. A blood sample was taken, which went through a testing machine to monitor her cholesterol levels. "It is...

Letter: Toxic shock and tampons.(Letter to the Editor)
September 3, 2005... I was concerned to read a brief article in C&D (August 13, p23) in which a retailer claimed that Sea Pearls - natural sea sponges used in place of tampons for internal sanitary protection - reduce the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). To...

PAGB PERSPECTIVE: A parallel universe of imports.
September 3, 2005... Do you ever feel you are operating in a parallel universe, asks Sheila Kelly, executive director, Proprietary Association of Great Britain The big issue for pharmaceutical companies now is getting ready to introduce Braille on all the...

Letter: A #50 consultation fee would be more realistic.(Letter to the Editor)
September 3, 2005... There's little wonder that pharmacy contractors in general are feeling thoroughly frustrated at being under-remunerated and exploited when they see their local GPs' hours reduced to nine to five weekdays only, and their salaries raised by 30...

Comment from the Editor.(Editorial)
September 3, 2005... Homoeopathy doesn't work. What's new, you might ask. Well, where's the research saying psychiatry or cognitive behavioural therapy doesn't work, either? After all, it can only be the hour-long consultation that leads to any improvement in the...

Your views: Independents need a voice like multiples.
September 3, 2005... The announcement last week of the necessary and inevitable bid by Phoenix for Numark (C&D, August 20, p4) was one of the worst kept secrets in the industry. Numark's shareholding members will undoubtedly be relishing their windfall and...

NORTHERN IRELAND NOTEBOOK: Is prejudice justified?(Brief Article)(Column)
September 3, 2005... Over the years I've tried to avoid stereotyping those I serve. When first in practice if I suspected a shoplifter I watched he didn't pilfer stock; if she looked like an addict I suspected she would try to defraud me; if they wore...

Science fails to discredit homoeopathy.(Column)
September 3, 2005... Another scientific study has found that homoeopathy does not work, but I doubt whether many users of homoeopathic medicine really care. Most patients put their trust in the form of medicine which has worked for them in the past or the one they...

A mixed prescription across Europe.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... News of pharmacy from other parts of Europe always makes interesting reading and while last week's article (C&D, August 27, p28) made me a little jealous of our Swiss and German colleagues I'm grateful that I wasn't born Romanian. Swiss...

INSIGHT: Fit for purpose?
September 3, 2005... David Reissner and Noel Wardle describe the fitness to practise regulations, and consider some practicalities As part of the new control of entry regulations which came into force on April 1, 2005,1 all PCTs must compile a `Fitness to...

PHARMACY UPDATE: Once bitten.
September 3, 2005... This article can help in the following CPD competencies: G1a, G1e, C2a, C1f A list is available at www.uptodate.org.uk/home/PlanRecord.shtml In the first of two articles on malaria, Larry Goodyer describes symptoms and treatment Until...

Homoeopathy works by placebo effect, says Lancet.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The clinical effects of homoeopathy are placebo effects, a study in The Lancet has concluded. The researchers compared 100 placebo controlled randomised controlled trials of homoeopathy with 110 conventional medicine trials matched for...

FFPRHC guidance.(united kingdom Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care has issued two guidance documents - one on prescribing lamotrigine for women on oral contraceptives, and one on unlicensed contraceptives. The first FFPRHC statement says that...

Early statins reduce heart attack deaths.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Taking a statin within 24 hours of a heart attack reduces mortality by more than half, say US researchers. Analysing data from over 170,000 patients who were admitted to hospital following a myocardial infarction, the researchers found that...

Canadian ADHD drug ban lifted.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The Canadian drug regulator has allowed Shire Pharmaceuticals to resume sales of an ADHD product after a six-month suspension. Health Canada requested the withdrawal of Adderall XR (amphetamine salts) in February after a safety review...

MAO-Bs improve, but don't slow, PD.(Monoamine oxidase inhibitors)(Parkinson's disease)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors improve symptoms in early Parkinson's disease but do not appear to slow disease progression, a Cochrane Review has concluded. The researchers reviewed 10 trials that looked at MAO-B inhibitors in patients...

Scriptlines: Medocodene.(product information)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Schwarz Pharma has extended its Medocodene range with the introduction of an effervescent variant. Containing paracetamol 500mg and codeine phosphate hemihydrate 30mg, the tablets are indicated for the relief of severe pain in patients...

Scriptlines: Convacare wipes.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... ConvaTec has launched two types of wipes in its Convacare range. According to the company, Convacare Protective Barrier Wipes help protect against the skin problems associated with stomas, combat adhesive build-up and allow moisture to...

Scriptlines: Cancer drugs.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Irinotecan and oxaliplatin may be used as first line treatment for patients with advanced colorectal cancer, says NICE. Following a review of the latest evidence, the organisation has extended the guidance it originally issued in March...

Scriptlines: Multiclix.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Multiclix lancets, to accompany the finger pricking device of the same name, have been included in September's Drug Tariff. The Multiclix device is only available as part of Roche Diagnostics' new Aviva blood glucose meter. Price: 204...

Scriptlines: Napp drugs.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Napp Pharmaceuticals has announced the discontinuation of Phyllocontin Paediatric Continus (aminophylline hydrate), Imazin XL and Imazin XL Forte (isosorbide mononitrate plus aspirin) tablets with immediate effect. The company says current...

Gaviscon Cool in handy pack.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Gaviscon Cool tablets are now available in a handy pack, making it easier to carry around. The sleek, contemporary pack will hold 12 or 16 tablets and is shipped in shelf-ready packaging for maximum impact. Price: 12 pack #1.99, 16 pack...

Ease bloating with WindSetlers.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... WindSetlers are new easy-to-swallow gel capsules for fast relief from bloating and trapped wind. The capsules contain activated dimeticone to break down air bubbles and are free from calcium and sorbitol, which the company says can cause...

Real Quit is back.(advertising campaigns)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Niquitin CQ is being backed by a #3 million campaign this autumn. The successful Real Quit campaign is returning and the new advertisement features Lorraine, the original quitter from the first Real Quit campaign. The new advert sees...

Beechams voted top remedy.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Beechams has been voted "most trusted brand" in the cough and cold remedy category by the Reader's Digest Trusted Brand survey. The survey found that Beechams is used by 79 per cent of those questioned and obtained a 22 per cent share of votes...

Supplements made easy.(reports of dietary supplements)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Healthy Choices is a new range of supplements designed to encourage customers to try natural remedies. "It's a range of lifestyle products designed to make shopping for health food supplements far easier for the less informed public," says...

Simple Guides to inform patients.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... A new series of patient information books is being launched through pharmacies. Called The Best Medicine Simple Guides, they have been written by the medical publisher CSF and the Patients' Association. There are six titles in the series, with...

Lyclear head lice info for schools.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... The maker of Lyclear has produced an information pack on head lice designed for use in schools to increase awareness of the importance of regular detection combing and prompt treatment. The pack aims to educate parents and teachers about...

Haliborange Omega-3 on TV.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Haliborange Omega-3 for Kids is being supported by television advertising this autumn as part of the #2.5 million campaign for the brand. Running from September 5th until the end of October, the "Fintastic" advert is based in an underwater...

New Nurofen TV campaign.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Nurofen tablets and caplets are being backed by a new television campaign which will run during September and October. Entitled `Stream of Consciousness: Car' the advert depicts a woman sitting in her car in a car park at night suffering from a...

Relief for baby snuffles.(EMT Healthcare Ltd.)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Baby Nose-Clear nasal aspirator for helping relieve nasal congestion in babies is now being distributed by EMT Healthcare. The product is being featured in the Bounty Baby Guide and details are being circulated to health professionals. For...

IN BRIEF: Rescue Cream gets support.
September 3, 2005... Nelsons is backing its Rescue Cream with a high profile campaign this autumn which will educate consumers about the effects of stress on their skin. It will include new point of sale material and leaflets, online advertising, consumer...

IN BRIEF: Transform your skin.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Transderma C is a new treatment said to boost the skin's collagen production, giving younger looking skin. The serum contains a pure solution of vitamin C that is said to be quickly absorbed into the dermis to help increase production of...

IN BRIEF: Correct price for Sea Pearls.(Correction Notice)
September 3, 2005... We gave out the wrong price for Sea Pearls natural sponge tampons in our August 13 issue. The correct price is #7.99 for two sponges. For more information: Pure Balance Tel: 01787 371527 Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Avent adds intelligent breast pumps.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Avent is introducing two more electronic breast pumps to its Isis range this autumn. The Isis iQ Duo Twin electronic pump is designed for mums with twins or more, mothers of premature babies or those who need to express milk fast during...

Vesagex Heelbalm updates image.
September 3, 2005... Vesagex Heelbalm has been given a contemporary new look with eye- catching new packaging. The product is also now available in both 50g and 100g tubes. Versagex Heelbalm contains urea (25 per cent), allantoin and natural peppermint oil...

Potty parties help train toddlers.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Kimberly-Clark is supporting its Huggies Pull-Ups with See 'n Learn pictures with a potty training campaign. This will involve a series of See 'n' Learn Potty Parties throughout the UK at pre-schools, nurseries and health centres. Parents...

Cyber Princess theme for winter.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2005... Cyber Princess is the theme for L'Oreal's new winter make-up look which uses metallic gold and silver blended with grey and blue. Eyes are enhanced with Color Appeal Platinum in Pure Gold, Real Silver and Aurora Grey. Lips are glossy in...

Grooming for success.
September 3, 2005... The blurring of gender roles is one of the driving forces behind the western male's interest in personal care, a market report says. It's not necessarily a case of machismo v metrosexuality, but almost as many men as women say they are...

PHARMACY MANAGEMENT: The art of influencing.
September 3, 2005... You are developing a service and what to charge for it, but how do you persuade those in charge of the purse strings that your proposal is worthy of consideration? Peter Gaylard looks at how you talk the talk At last, pharmacy has been...

INSIGHT: You are not alone.
September 3, 2005... With the end of the pharmacy contract transition period drawing nigh, Anna Goldie talks to pharmacists to find out how they are coping with enhanced services, premises and paperwork Andrea Standing, locum, Lloydspharmacy, Doncaster The...

PHARMACY MANAGEMENT: Look out - your NHS needs you.(National Health Service)
September 3, 2005... Being at the top of the tree is a challenge for all, especially in the new NHS, says Anne Adams in the second of our series of articles looking at leadership skills "Leadership creeps up on you. Whatever leadership means to you, unlike the...

SPOTLIGHT ON RECRUITMENT: Friends and family.(HI Weldricks )
September 3, 2005... HI Weldricks has a strong family ethos and is committed to community healthcare. Jane Ellis reports Ron Alcock founded the independent multiple pharmacy group HI Weldricks in Hatfield, Doncaster in 1967. He had qualified as a pharmacist...

OPENSHOP: Suck it and see.
September 3, 2005... Angela Alexander demonstrates how the ubiquitous Chupa Chups prompted some lateral thinking and led to some CPD on the way Have you ever had that Da Vinci moment? The moment when all the pieces of a jigsaw start to fall into place and you...

No benchmark pricing for enhanced services.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee )
September 10, 2005... The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee has released details of the services in the enhanced tier of the new pharmacy contract for England and Wales. The guidance includes the first set of 10 enhanced service template...

DoH clarifies contract opening hours.(Department of Health)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... Primary care trusts (PCTs) cannot force pharmacies to open longer than the core contracted 40 hours required by the new contractual framework. The DoH and PSNC are advising PCTs to return for amendment any declarations of opening hours by...

Gas firms get go-ahead for higher-pressure cylinders.
September 10, 2005... The Department of Health has given gas suppliers the green light to supply oxygen cylinders filled to a higher pressure, in a bid to avert a cylinder crisis this winter. The announcement, made by health minister Jane Kennedy in a letter to...

IN BRIEF: Staril recall.(Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... Bristol-Myers Squibb has issued a recall for Staril 20mg tablets (fosinopril sodium) bearing the batch number 5E04720. Pharmacists are advised to return all affected stock to BMS via their usual wholesaler by September 16. For more...

IN BRIEF: Avoid `doubling up'.(National Prescription Research Centre)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... Pharmacists will not be paid for `doubling up' on lower strengths of medicine when a higher strength is unavailable, the National Prescription Research Centre (NPRC) has warned following shortages of some generic medicines. Payment will be...

IN BRIEF: Diamorphine ruling.(no cheaper stock obtainable )(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... The Department of Health and the National Assembly for Wales have agreed to allow no cheaper stock obtainable (NCSO) endorsements for September prescriptions for diamorphine 5mg, 10mg, 30mg, 100mg and 500mg injection ampoules. Copyright:...

IN BRIEF: UniChem eyes N3.(Alliance UniChem PLC)(electronic transmission of prescriptions )(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... UniChem is seeking to become an accredited N3 service provider for pharmacies offering future electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP). UniChem said it expects to offer customers connection to the N3 national IT network "shortly". It...

5 a day fruit and vegetable programme.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... Public health minister Caroline Flint was bowled over to meet the England cricket team before the final Ashes Test this week. Five England bowlers - Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles and James Anderson - joined the...

Pharmacy groups call for October deadline extension.
September 10, 2005... Pharmacies should be given a further six-month grace period before they are monitored for compliance with the new contract, pharmacy groups have warned. Avicenna chairman Salim Jetha said the Government's October deadline for compliance...

PSNI calls for support staff to be registered.(Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... All healthcare support staff involved in direct patient care should be subject to a national registration scheme, the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland has said. Registration data should be readily available to employers, and...

Pharma industry may face fines over advert breaches.(British Pharmaceutical Industry)
September 10, 2005... Pharmaceutical manufacturers could be fined under the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme for breaching advertising regulations or publishing misleading findings, the Government has announced. The DoH will take up the issue of penalties...

Don't ignore QOF, says NPA.(Quality and Outcomes Framework, National Pharmacy Association )(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... Pharmacists could use the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), the new GMS contract, to identify the patient needs in their local area, the National Pharmacy Association has said. NPA NHS liaison manager Neal Patel advised pharmacists not...

Sainsbury's to add Morrisons pharmacies.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... Sainsbury's has boosted its pharmacy chain after acquiring nine stores from Morrisons. Three of these include pharmacies, according to the supermarket group. The stores are in Bitterne in Hampshire, Eastleigh in Hampshire and Acocks...

Database developed.(United Kingdom. National Health Service's database services for pharmaceutical companies)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... A database to help pharmaceutical companies understand local needs has been developed by the NHS business intelligence specialist Health Direction. The Practice Development Database includes information from each practice's Quality and...

Pharmacy operators slam ETP delay.(compliant computer systems )
September 10, 2005... The roll out of ETP-compliant computer systems to pharmacies is lagging behind schedule, industry sources have warned. Pharmacy operators expressed anger over NHS Connecting for Health's lacklustre implementation of the NHS's IT programme....

First-hand look.(United Co-op HealthCare )(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... United Co-op HealthCare general manager John Nuttall swapped the four walls of his office for the fresh air of Manchester recently when he took a first-hand look at United's wholesale activities. Mick Johnson, a delivery driver for the...

Two Cegedim systems given assent for tests.(ETP, Cegedim Rx)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... NHS Connecting for Health has given two Cegedim Group pharmacy IT systems the green light to go live in ETP test sites. Enigma Health's Nexphase PMR and Cegedim Rx's Pharmacy Manager PMR systems have been accredited with technical authority...

Report calls for sanctions to tackle province's high prescribing costs.
September 10, 2005... Northern Ireland should implement more sanctions to tackle high prescribing costs and to encourage greater use of generic drugs, a health charity has concluded after reviewing family health services in the province. The recommendations...

Independent pharmacy body will not clash with other groups.
September 10, 2005... A new body set up to represent independent pharmacy contractors would complement, not compete with, existing organisations, a senior industry figure has said. Quashing claims that a new lobby group would divide the profession (see p18),...

NPA DDA compliance help.(National Pharmacy Association Disability Discrimination Act )(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... The National Pharmacy Association has added a new section to its pharmacy contract book New Directions, which provides advice on how pharmacists can fulfil their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act relating to the supply of...

Software identifies patients at risk.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... A computer programme that will help the NHS identify patients with long- term conditions most at risk of admittance to hospital has been introduced by the Department of Health. The software is available free to the NHS. It will be further...

IN BRIEF: Lloyds ready.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2005... Lloydspharmacy says it is ready for the full implementation of the new pharmacy contract, which will be monitored from October. The 1,400-strong pharmacy chain says it has already put into place nearly all of the contract requirements,...