‘Legal Highs’ to be Banned

Angelus, the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of the risks from ‘legal highs’, has achieved its goal of a ban on their sale. The Psychoactive Substances Act has come into force, and will ‘demolish’ the high street trade in ‘legal highs’. The legal change will radically disrupt the new psychoactive substances market and [...]

By |2016-05-30T15:25:46+00:00May 31st, 2016|Substance Abuse|Comments Off on ‘Legal Highs’ to be Banned

Overdose Awareness Campaign Launched Following Recent Deaths

Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service (DDAS), in partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board, Dyfed Powys Police, National Probation Service and Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Local Authorities, have expressed serious concern about possible drug-related deaths in the Dyfed-Powys area, which may be the result of a batch of heroin and street synthetic opiates. Partners are [...]

By |2016-05-30T15:22:56+00:00May 31st, 2016|Substance Abuse|Comments Off on Overdose Awareness Campaign Launched Following Recent Deaths

Governments to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis by 2030

194 member states recently made an historic commitment to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. At the 69th World Health Assembly, governments unanimously voted to adopt the first ever Global Viral Hepatitis Strategy, signalling the greatest global commitment in viral hepatitis to date. The strategy sets a goal of eliminating hepatitis B and C by 2030 [...]

By |2016-05-30T15:19:06+00:00May 31st, 2016|Hepatology|Comments Off on Governments to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis by 2030

Treatments for Disease and Ageing Enhanced

Key medical challenges, such as disease diagnosis, identification of the right treatments and improving the health of ageing populations will be tackled UK-wide by the official opening of the Phenome Centre Birmingham. The £8 million facility, funded by the Medical Research Council, University of Birmingham and industry partners, will allow scientists at the University of Birmingham [...]

By |2016-05-25T11:31:30+00:00May 30th, 2016|Disease|Comments Off on Treatments for Disease and Ageing Enhanced

Breast Cancer Drug Discovery Offers Hope of New Treatments

A drug for breast cancer that is more effective than existing medicines may be a step closer, thanks to new research. Scientists have identified a chemical compound that is highly effective at blocking the growth of breast cancer cells in the laboratory. The compound – called eCF506 – targets a molecule called Src tyrosine kinase [...]

By |2016-05-25T11:00:40+00:00May 27th, 2016|Cancer|Comments Off on Breast Cancer Drug Discovery Offers Hope of New Treatments

New Treatment Options for Diabetes Recommended by NICE

Tens of thousands of people with type 2 diabetes will be eligible for new treatments under new guidance from NICE. The drugs will help to control blood sugar in those patients who cannot take more commonly prescribed medicines, meaning their condition remains stable for longer. An estimated 31,000 people may be eligible for the three [...]

By |2016-05-26T10:43:35+00:00May 26th, 2016|Diaberes|Comments Off on New Treatment Options for Diabetes Recommended by NICE

Call for Introduction of a Pharmacy-Led Service for Chronic Medication

Llyr Huws Griffiths, Plaid Cymru’s Assembly Member for the North Wales region, recently visited Cohens Pharmacy in Colwyn Bay for a first-hand experience of how community pharmacies serve his constituents. Mr Griffiths was welcomed to the pharmacy by pharmacist Robert Carroll and Fiona Jones, a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Welsh Pharmacy Board, who [...]

By |2016-05-26T10:40:51+00:00May 26th, 2016|Safety|Comments Off on Call for Introduction of a Pharmacy-Led Service for Chronic Medication

Antibiotics Prescriptions Down – but GPs Mustn’t ‘be Complacent’, Warns RCGP

Hot on the heels of the release of the recent NHS Improvement figures – which revealed that the number of antibiotics prescribed by GPs is down by over 2.6 million in one year alone – the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has issued a warning against complacency in the sector. Dr Maureen Baker, Chair [...]

By |2016-05-26T10:39:11+00:00May 26th, 2016|General Practice|Comments Off on Antibiotics Prescriptions Down – but GPs Mustn’t ‘be Complacent’, Warns RCGP

Actelion’s Uptravi is Granted European Marketing Authorisation

Actelion Pharmaceuticals UK has announced that Uptravi (selexipag), a selective IP prostacyclin receptor agonist, has been granted marketing authorisation for the long-term treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the EU by the European Commission. Uptravi has been licensed for the long-term treatment of PAH in adult patients with WHO functional class (FC) II-III, either [...]

By |2016-05-25T10:22:36+00:00May 25th, 2016|Respiratory|Comments Off on Actelion’s Uptravi is Granted European Marketing Authorisation

PSNC Responds to ‘Hub and Spoke’ Consultation

PSNC has published its response to the consultation on ‘hub and spoke’ dispensing. This follows discussion between PSNC and the Department of Health to clarify various concerns that PSNC had with the draft regulations. The Department of Health has confirmed that the draft regulations, if implemented, would permit hub and spoke dispensing between ‘relevant clinical entities’ [...]

By |2016-05-25T10:15:59+00:00May 25th, 2016|Dispensing|Comments Off on PSNC Responds to ‘Hub and Spoke’ Consultation