The development and safety of proton pump inhibitorsSubscription
Since the discovery of omeprazole in 1979, dispensing of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in England has increased more than 100-fold, and several products are now available without prescription. Although PPIs are effective and generally well tolerated, observational studies suggest an association with several adverse effects. Further trials are needed to establish causal relationships.
Editorial
Do not blame RPS members for not voting in the board elections — give them something to vote forSubscription
The low number of members who voted in the RPS pharmacy board elections does not equate to apathy or despondency about pharmacy as a whole.
Comment
How full disclosure of clinical trial data will benefit the pharmaceutical industrySubscription
Disclosing clinical trial data is a step in the right direction towards transparency, which benefits both the public and the pharmaceutical industry.
Pharmacists must retain healthy scepticism about e-cigarettesSubscription
Why e-cigarettes must not divert our focus from nicotine prevention and cessation.
Q&A
Q&A: V Craig Jordan — the father of tamoxifenSubscription
V Craig Jordan, Dallas/Fort Worth living legend chair of cancer research, professor of both breast medical oncology and molecular and cellular oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, is best known as “the father of tamoxifen”.
Learning article
Dementia care: an overview of available non-pharmacological therapiesSubscription
A summary of non-pharmacological therapies for patients with dementia that may be used alongside licensed medicines.
Understanding models of error and how they apply in clinical practiceSubscription
Models of human error can be helpful in determining why errors have occurred in the past, where future vulnerabilities may lie, and how healthcare professionals might take action to make clinical practice safer.
Careers
What I do as a pharmacist expert witnessSubscription
Advising a solicitor about a drink driving case led Graham Mould to become a pharmacist expert witness.
Structured training for community pharmacy staffSubscription
Finding the time and money to train pharmacists and pharmacy team members is not easy but there are business advantages of having well-trained staff, including a more knowledgeable and productive workforce.
What I do as a pharmacist in the prison serviceSubscription
An interest in substance misuse led pharmacist Christine Rowlands to work in Health and Justice services.
News
FDA approves first buprenorphine implant for opioid dependence
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first buprenorphine implant for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence in adults, a treatment that is being hailed as “a game changer”.
Methylphenidate linked to increased risk of cardiovascular events in ADHD
The stimulant drug methylphenidate is associated with an increased risk of arrhythmias and myocardial infarction in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the early period of treatment, a study has found.
First self-administered monthly injection for multiple sclerosis approved in the US
Zinbryta (daclizumab), the first once-monthly self-administered injection for multiple sclerosis (MS), has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
EMA approves combination treatment for type 2 diabetes
A new combination therapy that can lower blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes is being recommended for marketing approval for some patients by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
PSNC, RPS and Pharmacy Voice to join forces and publish forward view for community pharmacy
Pharmacy bodies are working together to develop their own forward view as government rejects PSNC’s counterproposals to £170m cuts.
GSK announces initial findings from real world COPD study
Initial results have been announced from the Salford Lung Study, a phase III clinical trial in which researchers sought to discover how a new combination treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease fared against traditional therapy in a real world setting.
News in Brief
RPS publishes updated guidance for prescribers of pharmaceutical specials Subscription
The RPS has published updated professional guidance for the prescribers of pharmaceutical specials
FDA issues warning over loperamide heart risks
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that high doses of the anti-diarrheal medication loperamide are associated with a risk of heart problems.
UK pharmacist elected next president of Pharmaceutical Group of the European UnionSubscription
A community pharmacist who owns a chain of high street pharmacies in the North West of England has been elected the next president of the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union.
WHO guideline offers advice for when child-friendly medicines are unavailable
The first-ever global guideline governing the prescribing and supply of children’s medicines when no authorised product exists has been developed by the World Health Organization and the International Pharmaceutical Federation.
NICE scrutinises community pharmacy’s role in health promotionSubscription
A consultation on the role and cost effectiveness of community pharmacy and its contribution to the promotion of health and wellbeing has been launched by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
All-Party Pharmacy Group calls for action on drug shortagesSubscription
The All-Party Pharmacy Group has repeated its call for more to be done to tackle medicines shortages, after over half of community pharmacists responding to a survey said they dealt with drug shortages on a daily basis.
Pharmacist prescribers say public and professionals do not understand roleSubscription
Pharmacist prescribers say their skills and knowledge are underused because some health professionals and patients fail to understand what they can do, according to the results of a survey released by the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Centralised recruitment system for preregistration pharmacists to be introduced in EnglandSubscription
A national centralised system that employers will use to recruit preregistration pharmacists is being introduced in England from 2017.
Government rethinks hub and spoke dispensing proposalsSubscription
The government is to reconsider its plans for hub and spoke dispensing, according to health minister Alastair Burt.
Obeticholic acid gets US approval for rare liver diseaseSubscription
NHS England confirms decision not to fund pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV Subscription
More data needed for ibrutinib before NICE considers its place on cancer drugs fundSubscription
Counterfeit medicines are a growing threat to global health, WHO meeting hearsSubscription
Once-a-day suncreams may not offer long-lasting protectionSubscription
Cameron pledges to halve inappropriate prescribing of antibioticsSubscription
Pharmacy2U’s commercial director suspended from the register over data salesSubscription
One in four would visit GP if their local pharmacy closedSubscription
Correspondence
Monopoly generic pricing in secondary careSubscription
Community pharmacy plans must be reconsidered in light of Ridge's inaccurate claimsSubscription
Inaccurate claims about dispensing error rates are unacceptableSubscription
NHS England has a clear role in commissioning PrEPSubscription
Role of The Pharmaceutical JournalSubscription
Spotting the signs of child sexual exploitationSubscription
