PJonline news feed

Antivirals no longer being used to prevent spread of swine flu

Antivirals will no longer be used to prevent the spread of swine influenza in the UK as of today (2 July 2009)

AstraZeneca gets green light for gefitinib and prepares to submit fixed payment scheme to NICE

AstraZeneca’s anticancer drug gefitinib (Iressa) has been given the green light from the European Medicines Agency, making it the first oral targeted therapy for first-line use in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to be licensed in Europe

New evidence supports statin use in primary prevention

New evidence supporting the use of statins for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease was published online in the BMJ this week (1 July 2009)

Pharmacists advised to contact PCOs to help them plan for flu

Practising pharmacists have been advised by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to get in touch with primary care organisations to offer their services in support of local planning for swine influenza

Limited evidence to support Circadin use for insomnia

Limited evidence for prolonged-release melatonin (Circadin) means there is no convincing basis for recommending its use, the July 2009 issue of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin concludes

Teva to discontinue Beclazone Easi-Breathe in September 2009

Beclazone Easi-Breathe (beclometasone dipropionate) 50µg, 100µg and 250µg inhalers will be discontinued by Teva on 30 September 2009

NPA calls on OFT to revisit supply issue

The National Pharmacy Association is calling on the Office of Fair Trading to revisit the issue of medicines supply and to address the problems associated with direct-to-pharmacy (DTP) distribution models

Venous thromboembolism

An e-learning tool to help healthcare professionals assess the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and advise on preventive measures has been launched as part of the Department of Health’s prevention strategy for VTE

Working with GPs

Better working between pharmacists and GPs would improve outcomes for patients and should be supported by integrated remuneration systems, according to a new joint report from the School of Pharmacy, University of London, and Alliance Boots

Better HCAI prevention needed in Scotland

Interventions to prevent healthcare-associated infections, including antimicrobial policies, need to be implemented in a more reliable and sustained fashion. This is the verdict published earlier this week (29 June 2009) by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland after it visited three NHS boards that had experienced outbreaks of Clostridium difficile

Resistant swine flu strain emerges

An isolate of swine influenza has shown confirmed resistance to the antiviral oseltamivir

NPA queries rise in Society retention fee for members

The need to increase the retention fee for members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which will rise from £413 to £422 for 2010, has been questioned by the National Pharmacy Association

Restructure of Society’s Welsh branches begins

Wales’s 10 Royal Pharmaceutical Society branches are to be merged to form seven local practice forums (LPFs), in line with plans set out in the prospectus for the new professional body, the Welsh Pharmacy Board has revealed

Members raise responsible pharmacist concerns with board at Birmingham meeting

The English Pharmacy Board held its first member engagement evening at Aston University on 23 June 2009, ahead of its meeting the next day

English and Welsh pharmacy boards elect chairmen

Brian Curwain has been elected chairman of the English Pharmacy Board. Richard Daniszewski was re-elected as vice-chairman. For the Welsh Pharmacy Board, Marc Donovan has been re-elected as chairman. Peter Jones was also re-elected as vice-chairman

English Pharmacy Board hears that members’ concerns over draft Charter need to be addressed

Members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s English Pharmacy Board are committed to a “Yes” vote in the Charter referendum but recognise that some members have genuine concerns

Healthy-living template on horizon

Development of a framework for “healthy-living pharmacies” is a priority for the Department of Health, and it expects to publish such a framework by the end of 2009, Gul Root, principal pharmaceutical officer at the DoH, said at a health inequalities summit held in London earlier this week (29 June 2009)

Roche decides not to rejoin the ABPI, but will abide by its code

Roche has decided not to renew its membership of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry but says it will continue to work within the association’s code of practice

Drug alert: co-amilozide, metformin and naproxen from Karib Kemi

Batches of co-amilozide tablets (5mg amiloride, 50mg hydrochlorothiazide), metformin tablets 500mg and 850mg, naproxen tablets 250mg and 500mg have been recalled

Drug alert: Baclofen, fluoxetine and metformin from Sandoz

Serious good manufacturing practice deficiencies uncovered during an inspection at one of Sandoz Ltd’s contract manufacturers has led the company to recall baclofen 10mg tablets, fluoxetine 20mg capsules, metformin 500mg tablets and metformin 850mg tablets