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The widely-held concept that levels of "good" cholesterol in the blood can indicate heart disease risk is not equally true for Blacks and whites, and the measure itself may be of less value than previously thought, according to a U.S. study published on Monday (November 21). Various types of cholesterol are thought to have either healthy or unhealthy effects. Low levels of so-called "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were linked with higher odds for developing cardiac problems in the long-term study - but only in white participants, the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found. In contradiction to what has generally been assumed, low HDL levels did not confer any higher risk of heart disease in Black people, researchers said. Among white people, however, those with HDL levels below 40 milligrams per deciliter had a 22% higher risk for coronary heart disease compared with those whose HDL levels were higher. High HDL levels (above 60 mg/dL), which are thought to be protective, were not linked with lower coronary heart disease risks in either race, researchers found.

Pharmacists from BAME backgrounds still face higher levels of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and career obstacles compared to their white counterparts, the Pharmacy Workforce Race Equality Standard (PWRES) report has revealed. Published by NHSE England, this report underscores the persistent presence of inequality, emphasising the crucial need for all stakeholders in the pharmacy sector to prioritise addressing these issues. The PWRES report indicates that pharmacy team members of Black ethnic backgrounds are less likely to perceive equal opportunities for career advancement or promotion within their trust. Additionally, female pharmacy team members from BAME backgrounds report higher incidents of personal discrimination in the workplace. The report also highlights an overrepresentation of pharmacy technicians from BAME backgrounds in lower-paid roles. "It is shocking and unacceptable to see that across all indicators the BME staff experience is worse than their white counterparts," said Tase Oputu, Chair of RPS in England.

The Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) has welcomed the government's action of publishing 'AI Regulation White Paper' which will regulate the artificial intelligence (AI) system used in pharmacy on Wednesday (29 March). The Association had raised concerns about the risk of patient harm due to inappropriate use of so-called AI to include that seen in some of the pharmacy systems undertaking clinical checks. For some time, it has been receiving concerns from practicing pharmacists describing examples of the potentially detrimental impact of automation and online pharmacy provision on patient safety and pharmacy practice. As a result, it raised these concerns with regulators, Chief Pharmaceutical Officers, and parliamentarians in all four nations of the UK to urge action. It said: "This is required not only to protect patients, but also the frontline pharmacists who could be blamed for potential harm caused by inappropriate use of so called 'AI' systems implemented by their employer." The PDA therefore, welcomes the announcement from the UK government that they intend to strengthen regulation of such technology, empowering existing regulators to come up with tailored, context-specific approaches that suit the way AI is actually being used in their sectors; this will include pharmacy.

In a recent announcement the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) unveiled its strategic approach to artificial intelligence (AI), as it sets out to embrace the transformative potential of AI in healthcare regulation. Building upon the Government's white paper 'A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation', released in 2023, the MHRA outlined five key strategic principles guiding its adoption of AI. These principles encompass safety, security, and robustness; appropriate transparency and explainability; fairness, accountability, and governance; and contestability and redress. A science-led organization, the MHRA was tasked with providing an independent view of its approach to AI in medicine and science, aligning with a government white paper. Recognising its role in UK's goal to be a science and tech leader by 2030, MHRA is tasked to evaluate AI's opportunities and risks across regulatory, public service, and evidence-based decision-making area.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has called for action on differential degree awarding and registration assessment attainment gaps for Black trainees in initial pharmacy education and training. According to a new report published by the RPS on Tuesday (6 February), there's a pharmacy degree awarding gap of eight per cent and a registration assessment attainment gap of over 22 per cent between Black and White trainees. The variation in pharmacy attainment for Black trainees was first recorded by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) in 2013, and the Pharmaceutical Journal has been tracking the awarding gap at undergraduate level. Even after a decade, significant differences exist in the awarding and attainment gaps for Black students and trainees compared to their White counterparts, the report said.

The 2017 Bureau of Labor Statistics reported overall stats on hospital workers: with about 76% female representation, 74% were white, while African-Americans only comprised about 15% of the total. With Asians around 8% and Hispanic/Latino workers around 10%, the argument could be made that higher representation should be the goal for most institutions...

Kylie Jenner just took showering love on her beloved's birthday to an altogether different level by gifting a shining new Lamborghini to Travis Scott on his 28th birthday. She started celebrating Scott's birthday five days prior to the actual birth date that is the 30th of April. Jenner saved the best gift, the silver Lamborghini worth $280K for the last and took him by surprise with the stellar birthday present. Scott, the father of Jenner's one year old daughter Stormi Webster, took to his Instagram stories for flaunting the sparkly new car with a huge red bow resting on its hood. With hearts and smiling emojis, Scott wrote, "Wifey you go in every time". Travis too is no less than Jenner. Last year, he gifted Kellie a gorgeous white Rolls Royce on her 21st birthday.

INTRODUCTION: Apple jacks - Dankvapes as you might expect, is a really tasty bud that offers more than just a clever name and glossy exterior. This energetic bud is brought to us by Seedism Seeds.It is one of the top Dutch breeders and highly sought after cultivators in the Netherlands. The blend of Jack Herer and White Widow makes this strain of notoriously potent genes an undoubtedly dynamic high.

In its latest style guide for digital health writing, the NHS advises bloggers and writers to avoid using the word 'chemist' when referring to a 'pharmacy' as users are more likely to look for the latter. Likewise, the content guide titled 'A to Z of NHS health writing' encourages writers to use 'ethnic minorities' rather than the more commonly used abbreviated forms such as 'BAME' or 'BME'. "Use a capital letter when you're writing about ethnicity or when you're asking users for their ethnic group," it advises, and therefore recommends writing 'Black, Asian, African, Black British or Caribbean' or 'people from a White British background'. In a further chapter on 'Ethnicity, Religion and Nationality,' it notes that a writer should "only refer to people's ethnic heritage or religion if it's relevant to the content." Likewise, when talking about skin colour, the style guide asks to use terms that are easy to understand including brown and black skin. "We do not refer to brown or black skin as 'dark' or 'darker'." It advises not to describe people as mentally ill but use phrases such as 'mental health condition' or 'mental health problems'.

Britain called on Sunday (November 21) for international action on the issue of medical devices such as oximeters that work better on people with lighter skin, saying the disparities may have cost lives of ethnic minority patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Health secretary Sajid Javid said he had commissioned a review of the issue after learning that oximeters, which measure blood oxygen levels and are key to assessing Covid patients, give less accurate readings for patients with darker skin. "This is systemic across the world. This is about a racial bias in some medical instruments. It's unintentional but it exists and oximeters are a really good example of that," Javid said during an interview with the BBC. Asked whether people may have died of Covid-19 as a result of the flaw, Javid said: "I think possibly yes. I don't have the full facts." He said the reason for the discrepancies was that a lot of medical devices, drugs, procedures and textbooks were put together in white majority countries.

A second Global Covid-19 Summit will be held virtually next month for countries to discuss efforts to end the pandemic and prepare for future health threats, according to a joint statement on Monday (April18). "The emergence and spread of new variants, like Omicron, have reinforced the need for a strategy aimed at controlling Covid-19 worldwide," the White House said in a news release with the Group of Seven and Group of 20 nations. The announcement comes amid a surge of Covid-19 cases around the world prompted by easily transmissible variants of the virus. China's most populous city, Shanghai, is trying to return to normal after a nearly three-week shutdown, which, along with wider China curbs, are taking a toll on the world's No. 2 economy. The summit will build on efforts and commitments made at the first global summit in September, including getting more people vaccinated, sending tests and treatments to highest-risk populations, expanding protections to health care workers and generating financing for pandemic preparedness, the statement said.

A study conducted by Michigan Medicine revealed that individuals who experience type 2 diabetes over an extended period are increasingly prone to experiencing alterations in their brain structure. A group of scientists examined data from 51 middle-aged Pima American Indians who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. They employed a set of memory and language assessments known as the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery, developed by the National Institutes of Health, alongside MRI scans. These analyses aimed to establish the connection between diabetes, cognitive function, and the composition of the brain. Brain imaging suggested that study participants with longer durations of type 2 diabetes had decreased mean cortical thickness and gray matter volumes, and an increased volume of white matter hyperintensities. The MRI results, researchers say, indicate the negative effects longstanding diabetes may have on brain health outcomes and emphasise the importance of preventing early onset type 2 diabetes.

The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to collate the data on actively enrolled on an approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians of commencement of training. In a letter from Nicola Stockmann, Vice President APTUK to the GPhC to encourage the collection of data for Pre-Registration Training Pharmacy Technicians, Stockmann said: "We value the GPHC data for Pharmacy Technician registrants to track the growth and diversity of the Pharmacy Technician profession. With ongoing inclusive pharmacy practice priorities, APTUK has an organisational pledge to continue this work of all themes through actions. The demographics of the Pharmacy Technician workforce continue to have a majority of white British registrants and identifying as female; the high-level data collated which is currently available on the GPHC website does not capture those who are actively enrolled on an approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians."

Think about your smile. It's one of the first things people see when they meet you, and it can leave a lasting impression. That's why it's so important to invest in your smile! Not only is it good for your health, but it also improves your confidence. There are many different dental care options available, and it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. In this article, we will discuss the different options available and how to choose the right one for you! IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR HEALTH Your oral health is important! When you smile, you not only show off your pearly whites, but you also show off your health. A healthy smile is an important part of a healthy body! Good dental hygiene is essential for your overall health. It's essential to brush and floss your teeth every day and see your dentist for regular checkups. Dental problems can lead to other health problems, so it's important to take good care of your teeth and gums. Taking care of your teeth can help prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and other dental problems. Investing in your smile is investing in your health!

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has revealed the "differential attainment" gap among Black pharmacy students and Foundation trainees. Research conducted by pharmacy education has revealed unique challenges leading to lower attainment in the registration assessment and an undergraduate awards gap compared to white students. The organisation plans to work with new groups including BPSA, GPhC, NHS England, Pharmacy Schools Council and representatives from Schools of Pharmacy, to achieve a fair and equitable education and training experience for the students. They plan to reach out to student representative organisations to secure their participation in a quarterly meeting of the group. Differential attainment is the unexplained variation between groups who share a protected characteristic, for example, ethnicity, gender and disability.

The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) has warned that England's 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) may need to allocate an extra £37 million from their budgets annually for the next five years due to the spiralling tax rates. The government's Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access (VPAS) rebate rate increased more than five-fold in the past two years, the BGMA said in its white paper released on Monday (October 30). The report, conducted by consultancy firm Conclusio in consultation with local NHS leaders, examined the potential effects of the VPAS on ICB budgets. BGMA said that due to the elevated VPAS rate, each ICB in England will experience significant increases in expenses for branded generics and biosimilars annually - a consequence of reduced competition.

Asda Ramsgate pharmacy worker Claire Twyman saved life of a regular patient Rose Doyle by giving her a timely advice to visit A&E after spotting a blood clot on her leg. Doyle (75) spent five days in Margate Hospital, and after recovering she called in at the store to thank Twyman for her quick-thinking actions. She handed her a thank-you note which read: "Thank you for making me go to A&E. You may have saved my life, so thank you once again I am really grateful." Twyman, who has worked at the store for nine years, said: "I was just happy that I was able to help her and give her that advice, which made a difference. It could have been a lot worse if she'd left it. I'm so glad she's okay. "Rose came over to the pharmacy for advice on her leg. I looked down and told her it was really swollen, and then asked to look at her foot. I thought straightaway that it was a thrombosis, a blood clot. Her toes were very white, but I didn't want to alarm her."

Boots witnessed a 'record-breaking' performance for beauty driving retail sales with a growth of 16 per cent in the three months to 28 February 2023. The beauty category delivered a record January, and premium beauty saw its biggest ever sales week in December. Skincare reported three consecutive weeks of record sales in December driven by the 'expert skincare' category in which brands including No7, La Roche-Posay, CeraVe and Eucerin proved popular. Boots beauty transformation strategy continued with 19 new beauty halls opened in Q2 and the 170th store to receive a beauty makeover opening at Westfield White City post-period end. Boots now stocks over 500 big name and cult beauty brands and exclusively sells the UK's leading skincare brand, No7. The business reported its eighth consecutive quarter of market share growth with gains across all categories, led by beauty - the stand-out performer of the quarter. Footfall, basket size and the number of Advantage Card customers all increased, as more people chose to shop at Boots. The Christmas period was particularly strong with retail sales in the five weeks to 31 December up 17.4% and outperforming the market. Boots further expanded its value offering in the quarter, announcing its biggest ever savings as part of its continued focus on the affordability of life's essentials. This included the addition of 60 new products to the Boots Everyday label as well as the extension of its Price Advantage scheme, which has to date resulted in £30 million of customer savings and now includes discounts on over 800 products every month.