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The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has cautioned men on valproate to talk to their healthcare professional about their treatment, if they want to start a family in the next year. The warning came after a new study, commissioned by the European Medicines Agency, suggested that children fathered by men who took the anti-seizure medicine in the three months prior to conception may be at higher risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. Around five in 100 children born to fathers treated with valproate around conception were diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, compared to three in 100 children whose fathers were taking other antiseizure medicines (lamotrigine or levetiracetam). However, the risk is believed to be much smaller than the risk associated with valproate in pregnancy.

Former superintendent pharmacist and National Pharmacy Association (NPA) director, Phil Galt, has been appointed the new UK managing director for pharmacy software supplier Cegedim Rx. The position was previously held by Adam Dennett, who resigned after a successful ten-year tenure to pursue a new career outside healthcare, the company said. Cegedim Rx, the pharmacy entity of Cegedim Healthcare Solutions UK, announced the new appointment this month (April 5). Tristan de Foucher, head of European operations for Cegedim Group, said: "Adam has been a force of nature in this business for the past 10 years. Under his leadership, the team has continuously and successfully invested in and driven product innovation to stay ahead of the ever-changing demands placed upon community pharmacy." Galt has over 20 years of experience as a qualified pharmacist and a successful business leader. He has worked extensively in community pharmacy, focusing on both care delivery and technology implementation.

Global healthcare company Mundipharma and Vectura, an inhalation contract development and manufacturing organization, have entered into a collaboration agreement aimed at reformulating an asthma inhaler as part of their commitment to reducing the product's carbon footprint. The companies will be working together on incorporating an environmentally friendly propellant into the formulation of flutiform, a pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) used for asthma treatment, to achieve a near-zero-emissions product. Currently, the product uses the approved apaflurane hydrofluoroalkane 227 (HFA-227), a type of fluorinated greenhouse gas, as its propellant. The European Union's regulation on these types of greenhouse gases targets a two-thirds reduction in their usage and subsequent emissions by 2030. In a joint statement, companies revealed that work is already in progress to find an alternative to the HFA-227 gas. Yuri Martina, Chief Development and Medical Officer at Mundipharma, said: "This is the first step in our long-term plan to develop a near-zero-emissions asthma inhaler.

A recent study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice sheds light on the detrimental effects of obesity on workplace absenteeism and economic productivity. The analysis, encompassing data from millions of workers across Europe, reveals a direct correlation between body mass index (BMI) and the likelihood of taking sick leave. According to the study, obese individuals are up to twice as likely to take time off work due to health issues compared to those of a healthy weight. The increased sick notes among obese individuals is attributed to various complications associated with obesity, including joint pain, diabetes, depression, and heart disease. In the United Kingdom, where obesity rates are among the highest in Europe, the impact of obesity on workplace absenteeism is particularly pronounced.

"Not possible for pharmacists to check whether prescriptions issued from overseas registered prescribers have been issued in a similarly safe and effective way," the new Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) Karin Smyth said during a recent parliamentary written response. At a recent session on Monday, July 29th, at the House of Commons, MP Cat Smith raised an important question directed at the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Smith, who represents Lancaster and Wyre, and has been an MP continually since 7 May 2015, inquired about whether the Department of Health and Social Care had conducted a comparative assessment of the UK's stance on prescribing puberty blockers for treating gender incongruence in comparison to other European countries. Responding to the questions, MP Karin Smyth emphasised on the significance of the Cass Review and described it as one of the most thorough examinations conducted across the globe on gender identity services for children and young people.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has alerted pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy owners via email regarding new emergency legislation governing the prescribing and supply of puberty-suppressing hormones, commonly known as 'puberty blockers', for children and young people under 18 in England, Wales, and Scotland. The regulations apply to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, used to suppress puberty as part of treating gender incongruence or gender dysphoria in individuals under 18. Effective from 3 June 2024, new private prescriptions for GnRH analogues from prescribers in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who are not UK registered are banned from being dispensed in Great Britain for patients under 18. The emergency ban on these medicines will remain in effect until September 3, 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced on 29 May, stating that the action has been taken to address risks to "patient safety."

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has officially announced that Sebastian James, the Managing Director of Boots, will be stepping down from his role to pursue a new opportunity in the healthcare sector. James has given notice to leave the company and will remain with Boots until November. The UK pharmacy giant has already begun the search for a new Managing Director. James is set to take on the role of CEO at Veonet, a leading European chain of ophthalmology clinics. During his tenure as Managing Director since 2018, James played a pivotal role in transforming Boots into the UK's leading health and beauty retailer. He oversaw significant growth and innovation, achieving thirteen consecutive quarters of retail market share growth. Most recently, the company announced strong Q3 results in June with growth across all categories.

A new study has revealed that UK adolescents get around two-thirds of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which have been linked to the rising levels of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The research, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)'s School for Public Health Research, was published in the European Journal of Nutrition. Ultra-processed foods are often characterized by poor dietary quality due to their high content of added sugars, saturated fats, and salt, along with lower levels of fibre, protein, and micronutrients. The study, conducted by researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol, analysed data from four-day food diaries of almost 3,000 adolescents, sourced from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. After examining trends in the UK between 2008/9 and 2018/19, the researchers found that UPFs accounted for 66 per cent of adolescents' energy intake on average during this period.

Epic Sciences has announced an agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp) to expedite sample processing for Epic's circulating tumor cell (CTC) technology to support European clinical trials.

Germany-based OctreoPharm Sciences has received Orphan Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for OPS202 as a diagnostic agent for the management of patients with gastro-entero-pancreatic-neuroendocrine tumors

PBR Staff Writer Published 27 March 2014 The European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK's) once-weekly diabetes treatment, Eperzan (albiglutide). The drug is indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults, to improve glucose control as monotherapy, when diet and exercise alone do not provide adequate glycaemic control in patients for whom the use of metformin is considered inappropriate due to contraindications or intolerance.

PBR Staff Writer Published 21 March 2014 Novartis has launched the Lucentis (ranibizumab) pre-filled syringe (PFS) in Germany and plans to introduce the product in other markets throughout 2014. In October 2013, the company has received approval from the European authorities for Lucentis PFS, which is a new way of administering Lucentis that is specifically designed for intraocular injection to enhance patient safety and convenience for the treating clinician.

Food awareness organisation ProVeg International has started a petition to 'stop the veggie burger ban' after the European Parliament's proposal to ban the use of words including 'burger' and 'sausage' to describe vegetarian and vegan products.

We present you the motivational journey of Dr. Nadeem Niyaz Jan who has managed to grab the eye-balls of the medical fraternity within the fastest possible time span.