Category list : Non-prescription medicines
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Medication in contemporary music: what precisely are our patients listening to? Subscription
Contrary to popular belief, modern music often references legitimate medications, as well as illegal substances — understanding societal beliefs around drugs can help us help our patients.
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Case-based learning: sore throat Subscription
Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and get better within a week through self-care. However, it is important to recognise when a sore throat is a symptom of a more serious illness.
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Over a quarter of patients put health at risk by ignoring medication advice from pharmacists, warns NPA Subscription
Patients are putting their health at risk by ignoring pharmacists’ advice when taking common medicines, the National Pharmacy Association has warned.
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Viability of community pharmacies threatened by prescribing cuts, owners say Subscription
Pharmacy owners have warned that the “financial viability” of community pharmacies is at risk as an NHS crackdown on prescriptions for cheap over-the-counter (OTC) drugs begins to bite.
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Breakdown of the OTC medicines market in Britain Subscription
The over-the-counter medicines market grew by almost 1% in 2017 to reach £2.56bn. Although pain relief remains the highest value category group, the most growth was seen in eye care and gastrointestinal products.
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Amazonising pharmacy — reality or just a rumour? Subscription
If the headlines are to be believed, the online commerce company Amazon is setting its sights on the US pharmacy market, and entry to the UK market could follow.
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Patients with minor ailments should be given 'recommendation prescriptions'
A “recommendation prescription” should be given to patients with minor ailments, the Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) has said. The prescriptions would suggest appropriate over-the-counter (OTC) treatments and include self-care advice for people with minor, self-treatable conditions.
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Some protections for vulnerable patients as NHS England rules out routine prescribing of common OTC products Subscription
Guidance approved by the NHS will restrict over-the-counter prescriptions for 35 minor health conditions, with some exemptions for those less able to manage self-care.
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2017: the year in pharmacy Subscription
Against a backdrop of political inertia caused by a surprise general election and protracted Brexit negotiations, pharmacy has been grappling with some major issues of its own, including supervision of medicines’ supply, professional revalidation and decriminalisation of dispensing errors (see 2017: ...
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Prescribing cuts could lead to health inequalities, pharmacy bodies warn
Restricting access to over-the-counter medicines could lead to significant health inequalities, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and National Pharmacy Association have all agreed.
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A strong base: the importance of foot health
Healthcare professionals are beginning to recognise the importance of keeping our feet in good working order, but does more need to be done to communicate this message to the public? Find out in this feature produced in partnership with RB.
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Identifying common foot conditions
Patients visit their pharmacy to seek advice on a variety of conditions affecting their feet. This visual guide for pharmacists and their teams illustrates some common foot conditions, and describes their key features, causes and treatment. Produced in partnership with RB.
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Reclassifying erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil as a P medicine not such a huge leap Subscription
Allowing pharmacists to sell sildenafil would offer men a convenient, safe, and perhaps less intimidating, channel for seeking professional advice and treatment for erectile dysfunction.
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A breakdown of the over-the-counter medicines market in Britain in 2016 Subscription
The over-the-counter medicines market grew by 2.3% during 2016 to reach £2.62bn.
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MHRA recommends that sildenafil is made available over the counter in the UK
Sildenafil — the prescription-only medicine branded as Viagra for the treatment of erectile dysfunction — could become a pharmacy (P) medicine if government proposals go ahead.
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Pharmacists in New Zealand can now prescribe the oral contraception pill to women Subscription
We have come a long way from the early days of the oral contraceptive pill, where the doctor would only prescribe it to women who were married, and then told them soon after that it was time to stop it and have babies. But in most countries we have not come far enough.
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Changes to pharmacy supervision laws ‘will not be easy’, says chair of rebalancing board
Plans to change the law around pharmacy supervision “will not be easy”, especially in England, the chair of the government-appointed board set up to push through the reforms has warned.
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New Zealand pharmacists will soon be able to dispense OTC oral contraception
Pharmacists in New Zealand will soon be able to dispense certain types of oral contraceptive to women without a prescription.
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Inappropriate piece about increasing OTC sales Subscription
I am concerned about one of your recent articles, particularly the headline ‘How pharmacists can boost sales of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines’ (Pharmaceutical Journal online, 9 January 2016).
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Increased duration of OTC painkiller use increases risk of hearing loss
Researchers say their findings suggest that a “significant proportion” of hearing loss is owed to paracetamol or NSAID-related ototoxicity.
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How pharmacists can boost sales of over-the-counter medicines Subscription
Joanna Mills, consumer and influencer insight manager at specialist over-the-counter pharmaceutical company Perrigo, uses examples from Warman-Freed pharmacy in London to explain how pharmacists can increase their sales of non-prescription products.
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Australia tightens restrictions over codeine-containing medicines
Products containing codeine will no longer be available over the counter in Australia following a review by its medicine’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
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Patients want to learn about their condition and medicines Subscription
The 2016 Proprietary Association Of Great Britain (PAGB) report ‘Self-care nation’ cites the public’s lack of awareness of pharmacists’ skills and expertise as the main barrier to using pharmacy as the first port of call for help to manage minor ailments (
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Reclassifying emergency hormonal contraception levonorgestrel from a pharmacy to general sale medicine is not the answer Subscription
Instead of making levonorgestrel available to purchase in any retail outlet without medical advice, it would be better to improve emergency hormonal contraception consultations, lower the price of the medicine and make it more easily accessible via national patient group directions.
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New Zealand pharmacists support OTC trimethoprim prescribing Subscription
Pharmacists in New Zealand who are allowed to give women with uncomplicated cystitis a three-day supply of trimethoprim say patients appreciate the improved access to treatment.
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Emergency hormonal contraception should be on general sale in the UK, charity urges
Emergency hormonal contraception should be available to buy from non-pharmacy retail outlets in the UK, urges the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, a reproductive health services charity.
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Methods patients use to purchase over-the-counter medicines for misuse
Duncan Hill, specialist pharmacist in substance misuse, explains the tricks misusers of over-the-counter medicines use to obtain their drug of choice from pharmacies.
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What is the Falsified Medicines Directive? Subscription
Aileen Bryson, practice and policy lead at RPS Scotland, speaks to Julia Robinson about the purpose of the Falsified Medicines Directive and how it will affect pharmacists in the UK.
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Why we need more over-the-counter products to treat acne Subscription
Approval of the first over-the-counter topical retinoid in the United States is a welcome move and should be replicated in other countries.
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Anti-inflammatory drugs linked with higher risk of heart failure
High doses of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can double the risk of being admitted to hospital for heart failure.
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Calcium supplements pose dementia risk in some women Subscription
An observational study revealed that older women with cerebrovascular disease were at increased risk of dementia if they took calcium supplements
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Vitamin D levels can affect aggressiveness of melanomas
Patients with malignant melanoma should not be advised to stay out of the sun without taking measures to ensure healthy levels of vitamin D, according to Julia Newton-Bishop, professor of dermatology at the University of Leeds.
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Omega-3 fatty acids improve recovery after heart attack Subscription
Patients taking a high dose of omega-3 fatty acids for six months had a significant reduction in markers of cardiac remodelling, study shows.
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Recommending dry eye treatments in community pharmacy
How community pharmacists can best manage patients with dry eye conditions.
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How polypharmacy has become a medical burden worldwide Subscription
More patients than ever are taking a multitude of medicines and supplements, but this can cause more harm than good.
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Early aspirin use after transient ischaemic attack cuts severe stroke risk by 90% Subscription
Large analysis of data shows taking aspirin within two weeks of transient ischaemic attack or stroke cuts risk of secondary stroke by over 90%.
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Study shows how proton pump inhibitors damage blood vessel cells Subscription
New research into harmful effects of PPIs suggests that the drugs impair vascular cells.
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How to reduce the risks associated with vitamin D self-supplementation Subscription
As the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency rises, the popularity of self-medicating with vitamin D supplements is growing. However, there is potential for overdosing and harm.
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Sales of over-the-counter medicines in 2015 by clinical area and top 50 selling brands Subscription
The over-the-counter products market grew by 2.5% in 2015 to reach £2.55bn, with painkillers accounting for 23.2% of sales, followed by cough and cold remedies (18.7%) and skin treatments (17.8%).
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Concerns with the use of human medicines to treat pets Subscription
A survey by a pet insurance company reported in the Veterinary Times highlights the problems associated with owners administering human over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to their animals.
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It's time to change the way we approach coughs in community pharmacy Subscription
Over-the-counter treatments for the common cough need to be brought up to date and improved, especially considering the social and economic implications of the condition.
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Supervision of veterinary medicines sale Subscription
Veterinary medicine is an important category in most community pharmacies, largely comprising flea and worm preparations for cats and dogs. Fipronil (Frontline, for instance) is the active ingredient contained in the most popular flea treatment and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), which licenses and regulates all veterinary medicines, has categorised it as an NFA-VPS product. This means it can be prescribed and supplied by vets, pharmacists and suitably qualified persons ...
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Dieticians join ranks of prescribers Subscription
More health professional groups in England are being given the chance to prescribe, sell and supply medicines, NHS England has announced.
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The man who discovered ibuprofen Subscription
Ibuprofen is one of the world’s best selling anti-inflammatory painkillers. Its pioneer, Stewart Adams, now 92 years old, tells Julia Robinson about how and why his discovery came to fruition.
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Engagement is vital for switching more medicines from prescription-only to over-the-counter, says UK regulator Subscription
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has emphasised that greater stakeholder and public engagement will be key to the success of its reclassification platform, set up in 2015 to help enable more medicines to be made available without prescription.
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Contaminated packs of St John’s Wort herbal medicines recalled Subscription
Contaminated packs of St John’s Wort herbal medicines are being recalled because they contain higher than recommended levels of a toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid, which can cause liver problems in patients.
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Survey of UK public reveals extent of over-the-counter drug misuse and abuse Subscription
A fifth of the UK population may have misused non-prescription medicines in some way during their lifetime, either by taking a higher dose than recommended, using a product more often than recommended or by using a medicine beyond the recommended time limit, according to research published in the Journal of Public Health.
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Non-pharmacy retailers ignore selling guidelines for paracetamol and aspirin, study shows Subscription
Secret shopper study reveals more than half of retailers sold more than the recommended quantity of paracetamol or aspirin in one transaction.
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Acute confusional state diagnosed in healthy teenager after OTC codeine use Subscription
Pharmacists have been warned to be aware of the potential for over-the-counter cough and cold remedies that contain codeine to cause confusion in young people.
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Review of 2015: ten developments that are changing pharmacy Subscription
The pharmacy landscape continues to shift amid a backdrop of austere UK public spending and the rising spectre of centralised dispensing in the community. The Pharmaceutical Journal presents ten developments that affected pharmacists in 2015.
