PJonline news feed

Hand-held magnetic device alternative to drugs for migraine treatment

A hand-held device using magnetic stimulation could be used as an alternative to drug treatment for migraine sufferers, early data suggest

Pharmacist screening of patients at risk of osteoporosis doubles testing and treatment

Getting community pharmacists to screen patients at high risk of osteoporosis doubled the number who went on for testing and treatment, a trial has shown

Venous thromboembolism risk assessment tool revised by DoH

The Department of Health has revised its venous thromboembolism (VET)risk assessment tool

Owners charged too much for their business rates should appeal soon

Business owners are being warned that they do not have long left to appeal if they believe they have been charged too much for their business rates since the previous revaluation in 2005

Fife pharmacies report positive results for weight management pilot

Positive results have been reported from the first community pharmacy pilot of a weight management programme that is traditionally offered by GPs

Calling all pharmacy history buffs

A TV company is looking for pharmacists to contribute towards a BBC 2 documentary series about pharmacy in the Victorian age, which is being aired in April 2010

Pharmacy bodies call for clarity over how to use PNAs

Clarity needs to be given on how pharmaceutical needs assessments (PNAs) can be used, the National Pharmacy Association has said in its response to a consultation on draft regulations governing PNAs, where it raises concerns about inappropriate use

GPhC steps out of the shadow

The General Pharmaceutical Council became a legal entity and has a constitution from today (12 March 2010), a spokeswoman for the GPhC told PJ Online

Conservatives would allow service change to be determined locally

Service change within the NHS would be enabled at a local level under a Conservative Government, according to shadow health minister Stephen O’Brien

Community pharmacists from minority ethnic groups less satisfied at work

Community pharmacists with minority ethnic backgrounds have significantly less work satisfaction than their white colleagues in the same sector, according to the latest results of the longitudinal cohort study of pharmacy careers published this week by the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust

Register of Pharmacists

The following people have voluntarily removed themselves from the Register of Pharmacists

Registered Technician March 2010

Registered Technician published in March 2010

Bogus MHRA calls

A number of telephone calls have been made to companies recently by people falsely claiming to be staff of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Drug Tariff Updates: March 2010 prescriptions

The Department of Health and the National Assembly for Wales have agreed to allow “no cheaper stock obtainable” (NCSO) endorsements for the following, for March 2010 prescriptions

Product news (13 March 2010)

Prescription products / Supply issues

Products reviewed are

Intanza; Pfizer generics (finasteride, metformin, mirtazapine, ondansetron, paroxetine); Prevenar 13; Synflorix; Cardura XL; Cytacon

DoH warns PCTs not to abuse their position once global sum devolved

Primary care trusts must avoid taking action that would produce shocks in
the medicines supply system following devolvement of pharmacy’s global sum to PCTs on 1 April 2010, the Department of Health said yesterday (10 March 2010)

New drug for chronic hyperuricaemia launched

Patients with high concentrations of uric acid in their blood could benefit from a new medicine launched today (11 March 2010)

Boots makes The Sunday Times top 25 companies to work for list

Boots has been ranked as one of the top 25 best large companies to work for, in a list published in the latest edition of The Sunday Times (7 March 2010)

Parent-initiated steroids of modest benefit in asthma

Asthma symptoms in children may be reduced by a short course of prednisolone given by parents, an Australian study published in the BMJ suggests. However, the benefits are modest and need to be balanced against the potential side effects of repeated courses of oral corticosteroids, the researchers warn

Warning over eye injuries with liquid detergent capsules

Parents should keep liquid detergent capsules out of children’s reach and if the contents get into their eyes wash them immediately with cold water. This is the advice from staff at two London hospitals who report on a wave of eye injuries from the capsules in children under the age of five