In this issue
Insight
Dangers with inappropriate use of long-acting beta agonists Subscription
Caution is required when prescribing or dispensing long-acting beta agonists to manage airways diseases, such as asthma.
Perspective article
Pre-exposure prophylaxis should be a key component of a comprehensive HIV prevention package fully funded on the NHSSubscription
Pre-exposure prophylaxis is the medication taken by HIV-negative individuals to reduce their risk of contracting HIV infection.
Review
Conventional therapies and emergent precision medicines for cystic fibrosis: challenges and opportunitiesSubscription
Around 27 years ago, the discovery of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene – responsible for causing cystic fibrosis (CF) – marked a significant moment in the history of the condition. Despite the early promise of this target for gene therapy, a universally successful treatment has proven elusive in the ensuing years. While clinical trials involving gene therapy continue to make progress, the ‘magic bullet’ remains some way off. Survival continues to ...
Short communications
Child obesity rates continue to grow in England — we need action nowSubscription
In October 2016, NHS Digital released the latest set of figures from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). Another set of childhood obesity statistics and another bleak picture. Year on year, we are faced with sobering figures that reveal an increasingly worrying trend: the number of obese and overweight children in the UK is not falling and is, in fact, rising.
Promoting self care to reduce unnecessary GP visitsSubscription
Healthcare is changing dramatically and so are the needs of our patients. As such, GPs and our teams are changing the ways in which we are working, but we also need our patients to play their part.
Researchers wanted Subscription
We are looking for researchers who are working on medicines supply and shortages of medicines to join a network of researchers in the UK and other European countries so that they can meet and share their knowledge. Financial support is available for travel and accommodation to workshops and conferences and grants are available towards attendance at training schools and short-term scientific missions (exchange visits of a few days). In particular, we are looking for “early career investigators”,
Spotting the signs of oral mouth cancer in pharmacySubscription
In the UK, mouth cancer cases have increased by 39% in the past decade and by 92% since the 1970s. In fact, it is one of a small number of cancers that is continuing to see cases increase. Alongside this, survival rates have not improved in the same period and, sadly, more than 2,000 lives are lost to the disease every year. This is twice as many as cervical and testicular cancers combined and much of this can be attributed to late diagnosis.
