Editorial
It shouldn't be up to pharmacists to check prescription eligibilitySubscription
Expecting pharmacists to enforce the collection of prescription charges cannot be considered a professional duty.
Feature
Finding patient zero Subscription
Advances in molecular techniques make it easier to track down the first patient to be infected with a disease while it is still useful.
Comment
Direct-to-consumer genetic tests should come with a health warningSubscription
Genetic testing is appropriate in certain situations, but for healthy people as a way to predict disease, it is imprecise and comes with a number of risks.
CPD article
Urgent action: replacing a lost toothSubscription
A lost tooth is a common trauma that requires rapid action to maximise the chance of repair.
Careers
Relieving pressure from GPs by treating minor ailments in community pharmacySubscription
The Extended Primary Integrated Care pilot initiative in Brighton and Hove allows community pharmacists to take referrals from GPs to treat minor ailments. Independent prescriber Sue Oliver is pharmacist consultant on the project.
News
NHS England drops therapies from cancer drugs fund to save £80mSubscription
A total of 25 clinical indications will be removed from the government’s cancer drugs fund list, NHS England has announced.
Testosterone rollercoaster tackles prostate cancerSubscription
Bursts of testosterone can curb prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, according to a small clinical trial.
Researchers unearth novel antibiotic without detectable resistanceSubscription
Anaesthetists campaign for pholcodine cough medicines to become prescription-only productsSubscription
Scientists develop drug that curbs weight gain without reducing food intakeSubscription
Human trials of ‘prime and boost’ Ebola vaccine underwaySubscription
Intensive glycaemic therapy for type 1 diabetes cuts risk of deathSubscription
Redesigned aminoglycoside may eliminate risk of hearing lossSubscription
Potential dementia treatment target identified using stem cell researchSubscription
Mistakes made by patients using medical devices points to need for better trainingSubscription
Research briefing
Gut microbiome altered in Parkinson’s diseaseSubscription
Carfilzomib gives survival benefits to patients with relapsed multiple myelomaSubscription
Crizotinib offers survival benefits over standard chemotherapy in patients with ALK-positive lung cancerSubscription
Risk modelling study suggests aspirin’s harms outweigh benefits for younger womenSubscription
Text messages can help patients adhere to their medicinesSubscription
