Beyond pharmacy blog
Robbery at knifepoint: how our pharmacy coped
Pharmacy manager Amanda Smith recounts the day her West Yorkshire community pharmacy was targeted by an armed thief, and how the pharmacy team recovered from the ordeal.
I’m a bereaved mother, but I’m still a pharmacist
Hospital pharmacist Lisa Raveendran shares how she overcame her demons to return to work and find her new ‘normal’ following the stillbirth of her son.
Medical cannabis — a Canadian pharmacist’s experience
UK pharmacists must embrace the potential of cannabis in therapy and their role in dispensing it, or risk being left out of the system like pharmacists in Canada, says Canadian pharmacist Michael Boivin.
We need to treat people who take street drugs as patients, not criminals
Healthcare professionals have a role to play in improving care for people who take street drugs and providing better information on their drugs’ content, says Royal Pharmaceutical Society president Ash Soni.
Big Dope: why we shouldn’t rush to legalise medical cannabis
A powerful cannabis industry could emerge in the footsteps of Big Booze, Big Tobacco and Big Pharma, and we risk becoming beholden to it, says pharmacist Terry Maguire.
Harnessing nanotechnology to make cancer treatment patient-friendly
In the future, cancer patients receiving injected treatment at the hospital could orally self-administer in the comfort of their homes with nanoparticle technology, says pharmaceutical scientist and FIP vice-president Linda Hakes.
Take-home messages from Europe’s clinical pharmacy conference
Pharmacy consultant Christine Clark shares the best bits from the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy’s 46th symposium.
Medication non-adherence in breast cancer prevention and treatment
Balkees Abderrahman highlights the problem of medication non-adherence in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
In hindsight: Reflections on the preregistration assessment
Newly registered pharmacist, Sean Quay reflects on his experience of this year’s preregistration assessment and provides insights to help current and future trainees best prepare for theirs.
Acceleration of the United States on-demand genetic testing industry
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing services are making comeback, but there have been concerns about their appropriateness.
Into the unknown: UK pharmacovigilance after Brexit
Julia Robinson reports from a meeting discussing the implications of Brexit on UK pharmacovigilance.
Syria’s chemical weapon of mass destruction
Andrew Haynes explains how the chemical weapon sarin damages the body and eventually kills those exposed to it.
Medicinal plants: Britain’s home-grown wartime allies
Briony Hudson summarises a lecture about how medicinal plants were used during the wartime in Great Britain.
Pharmacy history: past, present – and future
Briony Hudson provides highlights from this year’s British Society for the History of Pharmacy conference, and examines the lack of engagement from pharmacist in pharmacy history.
Panic over “symptomatuc refief” for throat problems
The reported shortage of a popular throat mixture has sent panic across the entertainment industry because of its popularity with actors, singers and performers.
Preserving research and development in a post-Brexit era
Additional funding for R&D post-Brexit is a welcome move from the UK government, but there are other related issues to consider as well.
Vaccines: under threat by the post-truth populist movement
In a climate where science and facts appear to play second fiddle to post-truth rants on social media, Cynthia Leifer explains why activism and public engagement must become part of the everyday work of scientists and physicians.
Pfizer and Flynn Pharma fined £90m for excessive pricing — what are the implications?
Gustaf Duhs explains the ruling behind the Competition and Markets Authority’s £90m fine on Pfizer and Flynn Pharma’s excessive drug pricing.
Why mistletoe is dangerous at Christmas
Andrew Haynes describes the health risks — or lack of health risks — of popular Christmas plants.
Saint Cosmas and Damian: the patron saints of pharmacy and medicine
Szu Wong explains the story behind the Arabian twin brothers who practiced medicine and surgery without a fee.
Syphilis and the use of mercury
Sexual Health Week 2016 runs from 12-18 September. Szu Shen Wong, Thibaut Deviese, Jane Draycott, John Betts and Matthew Johnston describe what lies behind a print depicting patients with syphilis from the 18th century.
Why we should be wary about plastic food containers
A contributing factor to the rise of premature births and the early onset of puberty may be the use of the chemical BPA in plastic products.
The Queen’s speech – what is it and what does it mean for health policy?
The Queen’s speech is likely to address issues surrounding “health tourism” in the UK.
A link between tequila and osteoporosis
Researchers in Mexico have raised the possibility of a new treatment for osteoporosis based on an extract from the plant that is the source of Mexico’s well known spirit drink, tequila.
John Walker, pharmacist and inventor of the match
Pharmacist John Walker of Stockton-on-Tees invented the match in the 19th Century.
Health-related exhibitions along Euston Road, London
Andrew Haynes describes three health-related exhibitions to visit in central London.
Insomnia treated with single therapy session
Acute insomnia was resolved following a one-hour therapy session in over 70% of cases, according to a UK-based study.
A novel way of harnessing solar power to purify water
New research from China shows promise in water purification by harnessing natural processes.
Space motion sickness: combating nausea in space
Major Tim Peake travelled to the International Space Station at the end of 2015. Andrew Haynes describes the space motion sickness that often accompanies such missions.
Damien Hirst, Pharmacy and the 1968 Medicines Act
Artist Damien Hirst intends to open a new restaurant called “pharmacy2” in London in 2016. Szu Wong recalls the legal difficulties he ran into with his first “Pharmacy” restaurant, which he opened in 1998.
Hi-tech and low-tech applications for origami
Using basic paper folds to make intricate designs has a wide range of scientific applications, including making paper batteries and origami stents.
Causes and treatment of nosebleeds
Nosebleeds can involve a scary amount of blood but rarely present a serious threat. Andrew Haynes explores the possible causes and the best treatments.
Microalgae as a source for antibiotic discovery
Microalgae represent a virtually untapped source of chemical compounds, potentially including antibiotics.
The key to a bad hangover
Studies have shown that two key factors that explain why certain individuals are more prone to hangovers are genetics and gut microbiota.
The importance of collecting dirt
Several important drugs have been identified from soil samples. Researchers in the USA are currently analysing new samples of dirt for potential therapeutics.
James Petiver, apothecary and the father of British butterflies
Apothecary James Petiver was the first person to allocate English names to British butterfly species systematically.
Glowing wounds and angelic bacteria
During one of the battles in the American Civil War, some soldiers noticed their wounds glowing. Why did these glowing wounds heal so much faster than those that did not glow?
Medical uses for bacteria
Research is pointing towards bacteria as a useful diagnostic tool in the detection of cancer, diabetes, Crohn’s disease and periodontitis.
