Chemist & Druggist articles from September 2008

Chemist & Druggist archives from September 2008

Comment from the Editor: 06.09.08.(Editorial)
September 6, 2008... The diverse nature of community pharmacy is a key reason why it is such an exciting and innovative sector. From enormous corporations that combine retail, wholesale and manufacturing divisions, to small family businesses, the general public has...

Retail demands can impact on professional judgement.
September 6, 2008... Non-pharmacist managers need to understand professional demands, says expert Jennifer Richardson Pharmacists have been prevented from exercising their professional judgement and adhering to ethical guidelines in some retail settings,...

Has the industry got a problem?(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... "The Society is unable to comment on the individual circumstances of any case. In order to foster better working relationships, staff should be aware of the roles and responsibilities of the pharmacist and other pharmacy staff. It is important...

Give store managers compulsory regs training, say experts.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Non-pharmacist managers of retail stores with a pharmacy should be required to train in pharmacy regulations by the RPSGB's ethical guidelines. This is the view of the employee pharmacists' union and a pharmacy law and ethics expert, as well as...

IN BRIEF: Global sum adjustment.
September 6, 2008... Investment in pharmacy premises and businesses' goodwill values should be factored into global sum negotiations, Community Pharmacy Scotland has said. www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Technicians barred.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Pharmacy technicians will not be able to join the new pharmacy professional body, TransCom has decided. Instead they will be offered affiliation through the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK). www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk ...

IN BRIEF: Premises fee rise plan.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... The RPSGB has submitted a bid to the Department of Health for permission to increase premises fees to #183 for 2009. The Society requested the go-ahead for a rise to recover "exceptional costs" including pension fund contributions and a rise in...

Society breaches code, says regulatory council.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Failure to assess Council members mars positive review Zoe Smeaton The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has breached minimum standards by failing to assess its Council members, NHS bosses have warned. The comments came as part of a broadly...

PSNI limited by `outmoded' rules.(Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland )(Report)(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... The CHRE report found that although the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) fulfilled most of its functions satisfactorily, it was limited in its ability to improve and innovate by "outmoded legislation". For example, PSNI could...

Second fuel surcharge revealed.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Pharmacists have been hit with another fuel surcharge as UniChem this week became the second wholesaler to pass on spiralling forecourt prices to customers. Contractors will be charged #14 + VAT per month from September 8, UniChem said....

Obesity map highlights case for full-scale fat-fighting services.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Contractors should lobby PCTs in high risk areas for weight management role, says industry Jennifer Richardson An obesity map of the UK could help contractor representatives negotiate local community pharmacy weight management...

Multiples alarmed by greater PCT disciplinary powers.(United Kingdom. National Health Service. Primary Care Trusts)(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Proposals to hand PCTs greater power to scrutinise the performance of individual pharmacies and pharmacists are a cause for concern, multiple contractor representatives have said. A consultation on April's pharmacy white paper, launched...

Bleak future in store for independents, says research.(Survey)(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Research to be presented at next week's British Pharmaceutical Conference has predicted a "bleak" future for independent pharmacy. A survey of more than 1,000 pharmacists showed that 37 per cent of those working in independent pharmacies...

UniChem sets sights on expanding virtual chain.
September 6, 2008... Fee structure revealed as Alphega looks to lure independents feeling cat M crunch Max Gosney UniChem plans to chargeindependent pharmacies between #250 and #499 a month to join its European-wide virtual chain, Alphega Pharmacy. ...

DISPENSARY TALK: 06.09.08.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Will drive-through pharmacies work in the UK? "During normal operating hours I cannot see drive-through pharmacies working as you cannot beat the consultation environment offered in a typical pharmacy. However, I can see a small use for the...

Tories promise secure funding.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... The Conservatives have outlined plans to ring-fence funding for public health services, including pharmacy-led weight management pilots. The pledge came as Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary, outlined Tory plans to tackle public health...

Does it pay to go private?
September 6, 2008... AAH and the NPA have both launched private pharmacy-based clinical services in the past month. Zoe Smeaton asks whether the time is right for pharmacists to be going private? Attend a one-off, reasonably priced training course and in return...

XRAYSER: The melatonin melee.(Big Pharma Co )
September 6, 2008... A licensed melatonin product has finally become available, but brings with it as many problems as it solves. Melatonin has been prescribed for a number of years, in a variety of formats and strengths, for whatever indications patients could...

IRISH EYE: Where now for NI's minor ailments scheme?(Northern Ireland)
September 6, 2008... Buoyed up by considerable public support, contractors have in turn given their support to the Pharmaceutical Contractors Committee (PCC) in what is an overwhelming endorsement of PCC's stance on the Northern Ireland minor ailments scheme...

Control of entry: making choices.
September 6, 2008... The government believes giving PCTs the power to link pharmacy contracts with local needs will mean control of entry simply falls away. But what impact will this have on the location of pharmacy services, asks Noel Wardle Since 1987, the...

PHARMACY UPDATE: Erectile dysfunction: 10 years on.
September 6, 2008... A review of treatments since the launch of Viagra Key points * ED refers to a persistent or recurrent inability to attain or maintain an adequate erection.1 * ED is common: 17.8 per cent of UK men contacted in a telephone survey...

CLINICAL ALERTS: MHRA Alerts.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Human papillomavirus (HPV) Routine immunisation programme for HPV across the UK for 12-13-year-old girls (school year 8) began on September 1. The vaccine Cervarix protects against infection with HPV types 16 and 18. www.mhra.gov.uk...

CLINICAL ALERTS: SPC Changes.
September 6, 2008... Diclomax Retard (diclofenac sodium) Information on zidovudine. Galen, 028 3833 4974, customer.services@ galen.co.uk Apidra 100U/ml solution for injection in OptiClik cartridge, SoloStar pre-filled pen, solution for injection (insulin...

CLINICAL NEWS: Serotonin and SAD.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Positron emission tomography brain scans have suggested that changes in levels of the brain's serotonin transport may be a cause of seasonal affective disorder, say researchers in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Arch Gen Psychiatry...

CLINICAL NEWS: Telmisartan results.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Results from the TRANSCEND trial have shown treatment with telmisartan (Micardis) reduced a composite endpoint of CV death, MI, stroke and congestive heart failure by 13 per cent in patients unable to tolerate ACE inhibitors. A second trial...

CLINICAL NEWS: Effective as clopidogrel.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Aspirin with extended-release dipyridamole is as effective as clopidogrel in preventing recurrent stroke following a first episode, results in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest. NEJM abstract: http://tinyurl.com/579ob6 ...

CLINICAL NEWS: MTRAC goserelin verdict.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Assessments from the Midland Therapeutics Review and Advisory Committee have recommended goserelin for prescription in prostate cancer in primary care. A revised assessment did not recommend leuprorelin for lack of evidence it is clinically...

CLINICAL NEWS: Family testing identifies hypercholesterolaemia.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Nice has instructed health professionals to refer familial hypercholesterolaemia patients for confirmation of diagnosis and `cascade' testing of relatives. This group of patients is also to receive a high-intensity statin regime to achieve...

CLINICAL NEWS: Study finds heart rate link.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Coronary artery disease patients with left ventricular dysfunction and a heart rate over 70bpm are at high risk of myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular events, and benefit from treatment with ivabradine, results of the BEAUTIFUL trial...

CLINICAL NEWS: Exercise may boost memory.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Adults with memory problems may find their symptoms improve with exercise, results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association have shown. The trial in 138 adults aged over 50 years who reported memory problems but who did...

PRODUCT NEWS: GI support from herbal sources.
September 6, 2008... Floradix IntestCare is a new herbal supplement said to help maintain intestinal and digestive health, available from Salus. With a fruity taste, the product contains turmeric to maintain a healthy gut, apple- plum extracts to stimulate...

PRODUCT NEWS: Oral-B brings more power to the bristles.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Oral-B is hoping to start a `brushing revolution' with its new promotional campaign. Spanning television, print and online advertising and PR, the multi-million pound campaign aims to encourage consumers to use a rechargeable brush with the...

Abbott ensures energy boost.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Ensure TwoCal is a new high-energy nutritional drink for patients with increased nutritional requirements, such as those with poor wound healing, post operative patients, cancer patients and people with cystic fibrosis. The new product...

Friends get fruity.
September 6, 2008... A sugar-free blackcurrant flavoured variant has been added to the Fisherman's Friend medicated confectionery range. The product is expected to appeal to a younger audience and to encourage trial. Supporting the launch, over a million packs...

PRODUCT NEWS: Bassetts relaunch makes it clear.
September 6, 2008... The Bassetts Soft & Chewy vitamins range has been relaunched to help consumers choose the right VMS product. The pack designs are intended to be easy to follow, says manufacturer Ernest Jackson. New product formulations have been introduced...

IN BRIEF: Neon nails.
September 6, 2008... The Miss Sporty make-up brand is extending its offering with the launch of Clubbing Colours. The nail varnish is available in five neon shades: taxi yellow, paparazzi pink, salsa red, manga orange and summer sea blue. Price: #1.99/7ml ...

IN BRIEF: In for the long-haul.
September 6, 2008... An upgraded Lasting Finish 16Hr Mineral-enriched foundation will be launched this month by Rimmel. Promising a fresh and fade resistant finish for 16 hours, the product contains seven minerals to help skin look and feel healthy, says Rimmel....

MUR TARGETS: MUR or less?
September 6, 2008... With news that some pharmacists are being pressurised to perform more medicines use reviews, the RPSGB's Professional Services Directorate examines the use of targets in delivering the service Pharmacists will recognise that MURs - part of...

POSTSCRIPT: Rx factor mark two.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Dementia, brain injury, mental health and patients with other conditions could in the future be prescribed singing, according to one university. A Canterbury Christ Church University press release said findings on music therapy from...

POSTSCRIPT: Midnight money maker.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Hull pharmacist Cath Boury and senior assistant Yvette Turner have raised over #400 for charity in a 12-mile sponsored midnight walk across the Humber. The money generated will go to local palliative care charity Dove House Hospice, which...

POSTSCRIPT: Sigma supports Uganda medical mission.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... A team of 37 health professionals from the UK, USA and Canada were able to provide Ugandan patients with 40kg of essential medicines, thanks to Sigma Pharmaceuticals. The generics manufacturer responded to a plea from the team, which has...

POSTSCRIPT: Get knotted.(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... A Dragons' Den reject has been plucked from his descent back into relative obscurity by a deal with Boots. Since being rejected by the Den's millionaires last year, hairdresser Shaun P has achieved an #800,000 turnover with his...

POSTSCRIPT: 10-second interview.(Interview)(Brief article)
September 6, 2008... Sandra Melville is chair of the RPSGB Scottish Pharmacy Board First job?: Selling make-up for a company like Avon. I was very young at the time. School nickname?: I don't think you could print that. What do you drive?: A Peugeot....

Comment from the Editor: 13.09.08.(Editorial)(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Whichever way you look at it, the latest contract funding announcement for England will provide welcome relief for community pharmacy contractors. An uplift in total funding of #280 million, which includes recognition of the significant...

Contract rescue package bids to bring contractors back from brink.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... PSNC delivers 14 per cent boost in 2008-09 funding, including #150 million transitional payment Jennifer Richardson Practice payments in Englandare set to treble under this financial year's NHS funding arrangements, PSNC has announced....

#25.5m sweetener for rise in red tape.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... A 14 per cent boost in NHS contractor funding for 2008-09 includes a cash injection of #25.5 million to cover increased regulatory burden. This is a 50 per cent bigger uplift associated with administrative costs than in the previous...

Deal brings relief, but may not be enough.(Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee)(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Contractors have welcomed the increase in practice payments, but some say the rise does not go far enough and have called upon PSNC to take further action. Others warned that more work was needed to ensure the situation remained stable. ...

Contractor views.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... "Category M has been disastrous so this will help alleviate our financial worries. But I'm not confident about PSNC. It looks like a nice improvement, but what's the small print? I'm suspicious about the small print. I'm waiting to see the full...

IN BRIEF: Rx factor winners.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... The RPSGB has announced the four winners of its Rx factor competition to find media spokespeople for pharmacy. Find out who the quartet are at www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: NCSO update.(North Carolina Science Olympiad)(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... The DH and the National Assembly for Wales have agreed to allow NCSO endorsements for the following item for September 2008 prescriptions: pseudoephedrine 60mg tablets. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Boots advice live online.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Boots is offering out-of-hours minor ailments consultations over the internet following a revamp of its website. The Boots Live Pharmacist Service enables customers to email questions between 6pm and 11.30pm, Monday to Saturday. ...

Cat M clawbacks revealed.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Improvements in pricing structure but still inconsistencies, says Sigma MD Jennifer Richardson A further #65 million is set to be taken out of contractors' generic purchase profits over the second half of this financial year. But...

Demands for compensation as another fuel levy hits pockets.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... The cost of service review promised by the DH must take into account fuel surcharges being imposed by wholesalers, industry chiefs have said, as a third wholesaler announced a levy. AAH will charge #14 + VAT per month from October as a...

BPC BRIEF: Responsible pharmacists.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Pharmacists have just one year to fully prepare themselves for the changes which will be brought in by responsible pharmacist regulations. The regulations are due to be laid this month, and will come into force by October next year, Jeannette...

BPC BRIEF: Tackle obesity.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Community pharmacy-based weight management services should play a key role in the battle against obesity, according to Dr Colin Waine, chair of the National Obesity Forum. Dr Waine said the profession's help was "urgently" needed. ...

BPC BRIEF: Join professional body.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Pharmacists were once again urged to join the new professional leadership body, by Nigel Clarke, chair of the transitional committee overseeing its formation. Mr Clarke said patients would expect pharmacists to be members. To those asking why...

BPC BRIEF: Team pharmacy praised.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... England's chief pharmacist has praised pharmacy representatives for pledging to work as a team on white paper proposals. Keith Ridge backed a statement of co-operation released by PSNC, RPSGB, CCA, AIMp and NPA last week. Copyright: CMP...

BPC BRIEF: Been seen to be green.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... C+D has been lauded by Department of Health chiefs for raising awareness of environmental issues in the profession. Gul Root, principal pharmaceutical officer at the DH, said articles from C+D's Green Month series demonstrated the key role the...

BPC BRIEF: Call for expert voice.
September 13, 2008... The profession is missing an expert voice in the commissioning of pharmacy services, the DH has said. England's chief pharmacist Dr Keith Ridge asked BPC delegates: "In reality, who in pharmacy are the experts in commissioning? I throw down the...

Forgive and forget, asks Society president.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... "Tragedy" if RPSGB fails to form successful professional body, BPC told Jennifer Richardson The RPSGB president has asked members to forgive and forget the Society's past shortcomings and contribute to its transition to a new...

Primary care needs you, says tsar.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Pharmacy's potential contribution to primary care has been overlooked in the past, but the drive to change that must come from within the profession itself. That is the view of the government's primary care tsar, who delivered the...

No break for six in 10.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Six in 10 pharmacists never take a break at work, their trade union has revealed. The majority of those who did not take time out felt they had put patients at risk by doing so, the Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) told delegates at...

Drug disposal discs put staff at risk of attack.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Industry uproar over plans to make vans carrying drug waste display ID Ann Shuttleworth Pharmacists could be targeted by criminal gangs if they are forced to display discs on vehicles that provide drug disposal services, pharmacy...

DISPENSARY TALK: 13.09.08.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... How many times have you been to the British Pharmaceutical Conference? "Never. I suppose location is the main reason why. Being based in Norfolk it is a bit of a trek." Geoff Ray, Total Health Pharmacy, Norfolk "Once. I was...

GPs in row over flu vaccination.(General practitioners)(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Pharmacy leaders have hit back after GPs criticised an increase in pharmacy-led flu vaccination services this winter. GP representatives claimed practices may be left with unused stock after Sainsbury's and Boots revealed plans to extend...

Dispensing GPs dispute predicted white paper savings.(general practitioners)(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... The Dispensing Doctors' Association (DDA) has questioned Department of Health estimates of the savings to be made by changing the distance criteria between pharmacies and dispensing doctors. The DH claims stopping GPs dispensing within a...

XRAYSER: Shouldn't primary care be pharmacist-led?
September 13, 2008... Primary care should be nurse-led, according to a professor of health services research writing in last week's BMJ. And I would be branded a traitor if I agreed. Have fun interchanging the words, `pharmacist', `doctor/general practitioner'...

PHARMACIST IN THE HOUSE: Cry freedom for expression and speech.
September 13, 2008... I usually try not to mention party politics, but this month I think it's worth starting by pointing out that the reason I joined the Liberal Democrats was because I greatly value freedom of speech and freedom of expression. These have always...

LETTER: Don't take the sugar-coated bitter pill, urges buying group.(Letter to the editor)
September 13, 2008... Is the government's pharmacy white paper (Pharmacy in England: Building on strengths - delivering the future) a bitter pill for the profession coated in sugar? The first piece of work to emerge from the white paper is something pharmacy...

LETTER: Drive-through pharmacy benefits customers.(Letter to the editor)
September 13, 2008... Boots is to be congratulated on the opening of its first drive-through pharmacy (C+D, August 30, p6), the second such pharmacy in the UK. The first was established in 2001 by Munro which, following acquisition, was rebranded as...

LETTER: On MAS.(Letter to the editor)
September 13, 2008... It is about time pharmacies all stand united to get a fairer deal on matters like the minor ailments fiasco (C+D, August 30, p10). Long may this collaboration between the big names in pharmacy and the PCC continue. All pharmacies should be...

LETTER: Working together to prepare for EPS - are you doing your bit?(Letter to the editor)
September 13, 2008... In response to Peter McAuley's question "Has anyone really thought about how EPS will work?" (C+D, August 23, p10), the simple answer is yes. Connecting for Health (CfH) has for many years actively consulted representatives of the pharmacy...

Paying for the PIP code.
September 13, 2008... C+D is about to launch a campaign to ensure all those who benefit from the PIP code contribute to the costs of maintaining it. C+D publisher Phil Johnson explains What is the PIP code? The PIP code is a unique coding system designed to...

PHARMACY UPDATE: Protecting patients.
September 13, 2008... The second article in a series on ethics discusses pharmacists' duty of care when monitoring repeats and working with professionals whose decisions might be at fault Key points * A pharmacist's duty of care extends to taking steps to...

CLINICAL NEWS: Cancer link unclear.
September 13, 2008... Evidence from a trial that prompted the FDA to investigate a possible link between treatment with simvastatin combined with eztimibe and increased risk of cancer has been called into doubt. A subsequent comment published by the New England...

CLINICAL NEWS: Type 2 diabetes benefits.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Data from the ADVANCE trial presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes is said to show that intensive sugar control combined with intensive blood pressure may reduce risk of death from heart disease by 24 per cent. The...

CLINICAL NEWS: Chronic hand eczema treatment launched.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Alitretinoin (Toctino) has been launched for the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema in adults by Basilea Pharmaceutica. Indicated for use in patients with hand eczema unresponsive to topical corticosteroids, the treatment offers a new...

CLINICAL NEWS: Exenatide once a week `effective'.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... A once-weekly formulation of the incretin mimetic exenatide has been shown to be at least as effective as twice-daily injections in a small trial published by The Lancet. The study of 295 patients with type 2 diabetes showed significantly...

CLINICAL NEWS: Diabetic patients no more likely to hit targets.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Diabetes patients who self-monitor their glucose four times a week are no more likely to hit HbA1c targets than those who monitor once a week, a study published by PLoS suggests. http://tinyurl.com/6j4z8a Copyright: CMP Information...

CLINICAL NEWS: SMC OKs micafungin for use in Scotland.(Scottish Medicines Consortium)(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Scottish Medicines Consortium officials have approved micafungin (Mycamine) for treating invasive candidiasis, and three cancer treatments for use in Scotland. The organisation said that micafungin offered an additional treatment option at...

CLINICAL NEWS: Meta-analyses `biased'.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Meta-analysis results are being undermined by learned journal editors who prefer to publish trials with statistically significant results, say the authors of a review published by PLoS Clinical Trials. Failure to publish inconclusive trials may...

CLINICAL NEWS: Pain in Parkinson's.(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Pain may be more common in patients with Parkinson's disease, says a report in the September issue of Archives of Neurology. The pain in the study of 719 subjects was not associated with dystonia, and resembled cramping and arthritis. ...

CLINICAL ALERTS: MHRA Alerts and Announcements.(Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency)(Brief article)
September 13, 2008... Mixing drugs for use in palliative care Following consultations, the MHRA has announced it will not take action against nurse and pharmacist independent prescribers who prescribe mixtures of licensed medications for injection by syringe driver...

CLINICAL ALERTS: New Products.
September 13, 2008... Salofalk 1.5g granules (mesalazine) For the treatment of acute episodes and the maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis. Dr Falk Pharma, 01628 536616. Diafalk 1500mg tablets (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate and disodium...