NHS England is set to roll out a new test this week that will help doctors to spot a rare form of eye cancer in babies in the womb.
The NHS test developed at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, identifies the risk of developing retinoblastoma in babies that can be monitored
and treated sooner - increasing the chance of saving their eyesight and potentially their lives.
The new non-invasive test can detect changes in the genes in DNA and is likely to identify around 50 infants with retinoblastoma each year, in the latest example
of the NHS harnessing the power of genomics to diagnose and treat patients faster and more effectively.
Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis (NIPD) also means parents can be informed early in pregnancy if their child is at risk.
"The blood sample test is taken from the mother before birth and tested and analysed for mutations, which can determine with almost 100 per cent accuracy if the baby will develop retinoblastoma," the NHS said.
The routine, twice-weekly asymptomatic Covid-19 testing by pharmacy staff can be paused from the end of August.
The health regulator announced that regular asymptomatic testing for Covid-19 will be paused in all remaining health and care settings from 31 August 2022.
Currently all pharmacy staff test twice-weekly for Covid-19, using a self-administered Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test at home.
"Prevalence of Covid-19 in the community has fallen and remains at a comparatively low level as we emerge from the current Omicron wave. This means that the
likelihood that individuals entering healthcare settings are infectious has also reduced and the relative risk of onward transmission into these settings is lower."
A £5m project has been launched to introduce new blood tests in the National Health Service (NHS) that can diagnose Alzheimer's disease.
The blood tests could be available on the NHS within five years and they can diagnose the disease earlier and more accurately than current methods, experts have said.
Alzheimer's Research UK, the Alzheimer's Society and the National Institute of Health and Care Research have jointly launched the project.
Susan Kohlhaas, Executive Director of Research and Partnerships at Alzheimer's Research UK, said that the NHS doesn't possess the "required levels of diagnostic
infrastructure" to cope with the "growing demand" for dementia diagnosis.
"Low-cost tools like blood tests that are non-invasive and simpler to administer than current gold standard methods are the answer to this," she added.
Developing a new medical drug is no small feat. It requires extensive research, knowledge, expertise in the field, rigorous testing and iteration of prototypes,
and strong organizational skills to manage these tasks. It is important to use the right tools to make this process as efficient and successful as possible. With the
right tools available, you can streamline development, manage resources and personnel more effectively, and maximize the chances of success. Here are some tools that
might be useful when developing a new medical drug:
ANALYTICAL testING TOOLS
One of the best tools available to medical drug developers is analytical testing tools. These allow you to quickly and accurately test various components of the new
medication, ensuring that it meets all safety requirements and is ready for clinical trials. As highlighted by the team behind Venogen, various methods of analyzing,
chemical identification, and purity certification can be used to ensure product quality. Be sure to select a tool that can accurately analyze the specific components
of your new drug.
When finding analytical testing tools for your drug development process, it is important to consider the tool's scalability. Consider the size and scope of your
project and select a tool that can grow with you. You can also work with experts to find the right analytical testing tools for your development needs.
At the European Conference of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) this year in Copenhagen, Denmark, data on a test that may detect HIV,
hepatitis B, and hepatitis C from a single drop of blood are being presented.
Hepatitis B or C claim the lives of over a million people each year. Every year, 1.5 million individuals contract HIV, and 650,000 people pass away from HIV-related
causes.
The World Health Organisation has made the elimination of all three viruses by 2030 one of its global health strategies but new tests are necessary if case numbers
are to be reduced.
The most common test for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV involves taking a blood sample from a vein using a needle. While this method works extremely well, there
is a potentially large reservoir of the three conditions in places where this method is not suitable.
This could be prisons, drug rehabilitation centres and homeless shelters, where the taking of venous blood samples isn't always suitable or countries in which the
shipping and refrigerated storage of blood samples can be challenging.
Alternatives include dried blood spot tests, in which a single spot of blood is tested for nucleic acid from the three viruses.
Our pregnancy test package cover all your test need during pregnancy. We have different types of online pregnancy test packages at home. We have NABL, CAP & ISO 9001:2008 accredited laboratories.
To complete the evaluations of Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will approach pharmacies and send 15 combined kits
to pharmacies in December.
The combined kits will contain a standard LFD pack, one PCR test along with comprehensive instructions.
For the evaluation, a part of meeting Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) obligations, UKSHA needs "dual swabbing through the community
pharmacy Covid-19 lateral flow device distribution service."
Pharmacies receiving these kits need to finish the current open carton of LFD packs and then open the next standard carton.
Pharmacy negotiator PSNC has advised pharmacies to be mindful of "the expiration date of the kit and ensure these are handed out in sufficient time."
Following intermittent shortages during the holiday period and amid continued high level of demand for lateral flow tests (LFT) in pharmacies, the industry has voiced concerns over supplies.
Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England chair Thorrun Govind recently gave numerous media interviews over the issue, supporting pharmacists and reassuring the public.
She said it is 'frustrating' for pharmacy teams who are unable to access enough test kits to meet the growing demand and highlighted that placing all supplies with a
single distributor as a key issue.
Many in the sector have raised questions about the government's strategy for LFT distribution after it emerged that the sole distributor to pharmacies closed for four
days shortly after receiving 2.5 million tests.
Alliance Healthcare, from whom pharmacies receive LFTs, reportedly took delivery of the tests on Christmas Eve and then shut.
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) has become the first healthcare system in the world to provide a new blood group genotyping test for people with
rare inherited blood disorders.
From Monday (22 January), thousands of patients suffering from sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia will get access to the world-first 'blood matching'
genetic test, which will help reduce their risk of transfusion side effects while offering more personalised care.
In England, it is estimated that around 17,000 people are living with sickle cell disorder, with 250 new cases reported each year, and there are about 800
thalassaemia patients, with less than 50 new cases a year.
Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said: "Thousands of people living with sickle cell disease and thalassaemia will be eligible for this new world-first blood
test which is set to transform their care.
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Following concerns raised by the competition watchdog, UK PCR testing provider Randox has improved its terms on cancellations, refunds and liability.
The development is part of the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) ongoing engagement in the PCR tests sector.
The CMA has also sent letters to 25 PCR providers, warning them to review their terms and conditions or risk facing enforcement action. It currently has formal investigations open into two PCR providers, Expert Medicals and Dante Labs.
Randox, one of the largest providers in the sector, has reviewed its its terms and conditions and changed them to:
Give clearer information to customers, in particular on when it will provide PCR tests and resultsImprove notification of customers' legal rights on cancellations and refunds
Remove terms that could suggest customers aren't entitled to compensation if things go wrong
The UK's Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said mistakes at a testing laboratory led to misreporting of tens of thousands of positive COVID-19 cases as negative
and may have resulted in the deaths of about 20 people.
Britain has one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the world, with more than 177,000 deaths since the pandemic started in 2020.
Many experts have said the contact tracing programme fell well short of the "world-beating" system the government had promised.
An investigation by the government agency responsible for responding to public health emergencies said the Immensa laboratory in central England was found to have
misreported around 39,000 tests as negative when they should have been positive between September 2 and October 12 last year.
Out of the 2,805 students who sat for the common registration assessment test for pharmacists this June, approximately 2,150 have passed the exam, according
to the General Pharmaceutical Council. It assesses pharmacy graduates' knowledge and skills to ensure safe and effective practice as pharmacists.
This year, the pass rate was 77 per cent, slightly lower than the 80 per cent pass rate in June 2022, where 2,147 out of 2,697 candidates cleared the assessment,
GPhC data showed.
The exam comprises a written assessment testing pharmaceutical science and pharmacy practice knowledge and a practical assessment evaluating clinical skills and
patient-facing competencies. Eligible candidates must complete an accredited pharmacy degree program and meet GPhC requirements.
The assessment is conducted jointly by the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
"The assessment is a primary method for testing trainees' ability to apply knowledge and make professional judgments in pharmacy practice," said Mark Voce, Director
of Education and Standards, GPhC. "This is crucial in assuring patients and the public that they are in safe hands."
India will make tests mandatory for cough syrups before they are exported, a government notice showed on Tuesday, after Indian-made cough syrups were linked
to the deaths of dozens of children in Gambia and Uzbekistan.
Any cough syrup must have a certificate of analysis issued by a government laboratory before it is exported, effective June 1, the government said in a notice dated
May 22 and shared by the health ministry on Tuesday.
India's $41 billion pharmaceutical industry is one of the biggest in the world but its reputation was shaken after the World Health Organization (WHO) found toxins
in cough syrups made by three Indian companies.
Syrups made by two of these companies were linked to the deaths of 70 children in Gambia and 19 in Uzbekistan last year.
"Cough syrup shall be permitted to be exported subject to the export sample being tested and production of certificate of analysis," said the notice issued by the
trade ministry.
The health ministry did not immediately respond to a query on whether testing would be required for cough syrups sold in the domestic market.
The community pharmacy staff in Scotland will not be required to work for a minimum of five full days if they test positive for Covid-19.
The Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf has clarified that health and social care employees, including community pharmacists, will have to follow the guidance
on managing staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection, or a positive Covid-19 test.
While responding to Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour Party) written parliamentary question, Humza said, "If they work with patients or service users in
face-to-face settings, they can return to work if they have had two consecutive negative LFD test results (taken at least 24 hours apart)."
Jackie asked the Scottish government, "what its position is on the actions of Well Pharmacy, in light of reports that the company is insisting that staff who test
positive for COVID-19 continue to work when they are in patient-facing roles and dealing with clinically vulnerable people?"
The Pharmacists' Defence Association said: "This means that Well pharmacy will have to change their policy in Scotland and no longer allow Covid positive staff to
work in their pharmacies."
Britain has started counting possible Covid-19 reinfections in its daily coronavirus data, changing its approach to reflect the increased number of people
catching the disease for a second time as the Omicron variant predominates.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) added around 840,000 cases to the cumulative total, taking it to 17.3 million coronavirus infections reported.
Britain's daily Covid statistics previously would only count people who had tested positive for the first time to avoid double-counting people who had received multiple positive test results for the same infection.
However, with variants such as Omicron leading to an increase in reinfections, the UKHSA said it would change its method to treat positive tests as separate infections if there was at least 90 days between test results. The change took effect on Monday (January 31).
"Reinfection remained at very low levels until the start of the Omicron wave. It is right that our daily reporting processes reflect how the virus has changed," said Steven Riley, UKHSA's Director General of Data and Analytics.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)'s diagnostic advisory committee has recommended the use of HM-JACKarc or OC-Sensor quantitative faecal
immunochemical tests (FIT) in a draft guidance release for consultation on Wednesday (5 July).
Under existing NICE guidance, FIT was already offered to some people presenting to primary care with symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer, while others were
immediately referred on the suspected cancer pathway.
The new draft guidance will now see everyone receive a FIT.
A sample is sent in the post to a laboratory where the amount of blood in the faeces is measured. The results are usually available within a week and people with
10 or more micrograms of haemoglobin in their faeces should then be referred for further investigation.
Further assessment using colonoscopy, or CT colonography, is required to diagnose cancer.
The tests cost between £4 and £5 per sample, and can correctly identify about 9 out of 10 people with colorectal cancer.
The committee agreed it is important that GPs can refer people for colonoscopy without a positive FIT result if they think it is necessary and where symptoms persist.
The institute believes that the recommendation of the tests should reduce the number of unnecessary colonoscopies, thus freeing up appointments for more non-urgent
referrals. This should lead to 50% fewer referrals for urgent colonoscopies being made by GPs in primary care settings each year.
A pharmacy assistant has been jailed for three years and seven months for stealing £330,000 worth of diabetes-testing kits from his workplace.
Abdul Nargoliya stole the products while working as a pharmacy assistant at a Lloydspharmacy counter inside a Sainsbury's supermarket in Fosse Park, Leicester
where we was employed since 2012.
The 30-year-old from Woodboy Street in Leicester was sentenced on Friday (May 26) after pleading guilty at Leicester Crown Court "to theft by an employee and
concealing, transferring, converting criminal property".
According to police an internal investigation launched at the pharmacy branch in July 2018 revealed that more than 22,000 test kits had been ordered since January
2017.
Leicester Police said they identified Nargoliya as a suspect due to the time of the orders being placed matching up to his shift patterns. They arrested him in July
2018.
Orders for the products were placed by telephone and CCTV footage showed Nargoliya handling them.
It was noticed that during his shifts, the defendant would move the deliveries into a private consultation room and later leave with full carrier bags.
The NHS staff delivered more than 25 million checks for patients' which is almost 2 million more than before the pandemic.
There has been an increase of almost 50 per cent between August to July as compared to a decade ago.
In 2013, the figures saw 11 million life-saving tests and checks being conducted by NHS staff in the same period.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive applauded the hard work of staff for delivering two more million tests and checks in the last year.
She said: "NHS campaigns encouraging people to come forward with worrying signs are having a hugely positive effect, with thousands more patients getting
checked - so as ever, if you have any health concerns, please do get checked - it could save your life".
