Approximately 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits are utilised each year for self-treatable illnesses. If these individuals chose to self-treat
using over-the-counter (OTC) medications, the potential savings for NHS could amount to at least £1.7 billion annually, according to a research commissioned by
Proprietary Association of Great Britain.
The study, conducted by analysts at Frontier Economics, revealed that embracing self-care could bring an additional economic benefit of £350 million annually, as
employees would avoid unnecessary time off from work for medical appointments.
Apart from the savings resulting from the increased OTC medicine use, the report emphasises the potential benefits of reclassifying more prescription-only
medications (POMs). A mere 5 per cent reduction in NHS prescribing levels and spending could lead to an annual cost-saving of £1.4 billion, encompassing both
prescription costs and GP appointments, it said.
"This substantial amount could greatly alleviate financial pressures on the NHS and offer essential resources for recruiting and training much-needed healthcare
professionals."
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) have issued a joint enforcement notice about
the 'illegal' advertising of Kenalog injections on digital platforms.
The notice warns all organisations offering Kenalog as a 'hay fever treatment' to stop advertising it in any of their social media or website advertising.
"Kenalog is a prescription-only medicine (POM), which must not be directly or indirectly advertised to the public. Kenalog is not licensed for the treatment of hay
fever in the UK, although it is offered by some beauty and aesthetics clinics, under the personal responsibility of an individual prescriber, and advertised widely
on social media," said MHRA.
"Now, advertisers must ensure that all references to Kenalog in the text, images or emojis on social media are removed, as well as commonly-used descriptive phrases
for the jab such as 'hay fever injection' or hay fever jab' or any account names, testimonials or memes by 29 August 2022."
After this date, the CAP's compliance team will remove non-compliant ads using targeted software and those who continue to promote it may be referred to the MHRA for
further enforcement action.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has confirmed that the recall of blood pressure drugs amlodipine and olmesartan by the Food and Drug Administration is
only for the US market and will not have any impact in the UK.
MHRA also clarified that the manufacturer of these drugs, Macleod Pharmaceuticals, does not supply amlodipine medicines in the UK.
It was published online in both the Daily Record and Daily Express on the morning of Monday, March 21, that the drugs had been recalled in the US by the FDA due to
deviations from standard manufacturing protocols by the manufacturer.
RPS intervened to ensure the articles were edited to make clear that this is not an issue in the UK after confirmation from the MHRA. Amlodipine tablets from Macleod
Pharmaceuticals aren't available for wholesale distribution in the UK.
PCCA Limited has issued a recall for its Ketamine 50mg/5ml and 100mg/5ml oral solutions after a small number of bottles have been observed to contain
crystalline material.
The company said it is recalling impacted batches from patients, pharmacies and hospitals as a precautionary measure.
"This recall is being issued as a company-led medicines recall, as this product is only supplied to a small number of customers and the company has traceability
of the onward distribution by their customers to patients directly," the MHRA said in an alert.
Check the website.
Holland & Barrett, the UK's leading wellness retailer, has become the latest retailer regulatory member of PAGB, the consumer healthcare association.
PAGB represents the manufacturers of branded over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, self care medical devices and food supplements in the UK.
Holland & Barrett's decision to PAGB follows its recent introduction of a selected range of OTC and healthcare products in its stores across the UK. These
include painkillers, cough and cold medicines, children's health essentials, hay fever relief, as well as skin and gastrointestinal products.
With this expansion, the retailer aims to not only help customers to stay well, but also provide relief when needed.
Are you looking to start a career in the medical field but don't know where to begin? There are many different paths to choose from when it comes to entering
the medical profession. It can be daunting trying to figure out which one is right for you. But with some research, planning, and dedication, you can find your way
into this rewarding and fulfilling industry. Here are 8 tips that will help get you started on your journey toward becoming a successful healthcare professional.
1. ONLINE PROGRAMS
If you have already decided on a career path and need to obtain additional qualifications or knowledge, there are many online programs available for medical
professionals. These courses provide students with the opportunity to learn from home and gain experience in their chosen field without sacrificing the quality of
education. You can find an online medical assistant programs, medical biller and coding programs, lab technician training, and more. It's important to research each
program and make sure it's accredited before enrolling. While online programs may not offer the same hands-on experience as a traditional school, they can be an
affordable and convenient way to get your foot in the door.
2. VOLUNTEERING OR WORKING IN A CLINICAL SETTING
Volunteering or working part-time in a clinical setting is an excellent way to gain experience and decide if the medicine is the right profession for you. Even
volunteer work can provide invaluable insight into how the medical field works, allowing you to network with professionals, observe procedures and treatment methods,
and develop skills from patient interaction. Additionally, any volunteer work or job experience related to healthcare that appears on your resume establishes you as
a serious candidate for a career in medicine. While you are likely to find many volunteer opportunities, be sure to do your research and only take positions in
reputable organizations.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) on three HRT medicines to limit dispensing supply to three months.
To ensure women across the UK will be able to more reliably access HRT products SSPs has been issued on the supply of Oestrogel, Ovestin cream and Premique Low Dose.
DHSC stated, "Women who have a prescription for more than three months but are only able to access three months' supply will not have to pay an additional
prescription charge."
"This means women will not incur any additional costs. Imposing a three month limit will mean more women are able to access the medication they want. Any woman
who is worried about access to HRT or is unable to access HRT should speak to her GP."
Recently, Vaccine Taskforce Director General Madelaine McTernan has been appointed to spearhead a new HRT Supply Taskforce, applying lessons learned from the
successful procurement seen during the Covid vaccination programme to identify ways to support the HRT supply chain ensuring it can meet both short and long
term demand. The move will save time for patients as well as pharmacists and prescribers who are working tirelessly to tackle the covid backlog.
In what's seen as a major step forward for the treatment of schizophrenia, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised a
new Johnson & Johnson drug in Britain.
Byannli is a six-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP6M) and is the first long-acting injectable schizophrenia treatment which offers patients the potential for up to
six months of symptom control and a reduction in their risk of relapse with only two doses a year.
It is a long-acting injectable that works by dissolving and entering the bloodstream slowly, due to its extremely low water solubility, resulting in continuous
absorption of paliperidone palmitate over a six-month period.
"Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe brain disorder, and antipsychotic medication plays an important role in its treatment. However, many people with the illness
experience relapses which are often caused by poor adherence to oral medication," said Prof David Taylor, director of Pharmacy and Pathology at the Maudsley Hospital.
The recent data released by the NHS England revealed that in 2022/23 nearly 86 million antidepressant items were prescribed to around 8.6 million identified
patients.
According to the statistic published on 'Medicines Used in Mental Health' of the 5 British National Formulary (BNF) sections, 4 had increases in items and identified
patients across 2022/23.
The only BNF section to decrease since 2021/22 was hypnotics and anxiolytics. Items fell by 2% to 14 million and identified patients fell by 2 per cent to 1.9 million
in 2022/23
The data also revealed that Prescribing of Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulants and drugs for ADHD increased by 32 per cent in adults over 18 and 12 per cent in
children 17 and under.
"2022/23 was the first time that more adult patients have been prescribed drugs from this section than child patients, in the time period covered by these
statistics," said the report.
Recent uptake of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in Europe has been "rather disappointing," an official said on Thursday (November 24), amid concerns that
protection against severe cases of the disease could weaken during the winter.
The European average rate of re-vaccination, or receiving booster doses, was only 29 per cent in the groups of people considered to be at highest risk, such as
the elderly and immunocompromised.
"It is of concern that those most at risk of hospitalisation or severe COVID are not adequately protected," the European Medicines Agency's head of health threats
and vaccines strategy, Marco Cavaleri, told a news briefing.
Though there have not been major increases in COVID-19 case rates in recent weeks, Cavaleri said that could change during the colder winter months.
Errors of any kind in medical settings can have dire consequences for patients and healthcare systems. Unfortunately, negligence, misdiagnosis, and
medication errors aren't uncommon in the UK.
In this article, we discuss the nature of medication errors in the NHS, outline potential causes, and delve into how and why technology could be turning the tide
on the issue.
Prevalence and consequences of medication errors
Medication errors are incidents involved with the administering, prescribing, dispensing or monitoring of medicine to patients. It can happen at many different
steps in the healthcare process and by any medical professional in the system. Many cases are avoidable.
According to analysis from BMJ, there are an estimated 237 million medication errors made in England every year. The majority of these are minor errors, but 1 in 4
cases has the potential to cause moderate to serious harm to patients.
Not only do these errors cost the NHS significantly, at almost £100 million every year, but there is a shocking cost to public health. Lives are being lost because
of medication errors which is unforgivable and tragic for the families involved.
Drains on NHS resources have widespread impacts on public health and the operations of healthcare organisations up and down the country. Individual errors and
mistakes may seem inconsequential (in minor cases), but they all add up in the big picture to a significant concern for policymakers.
Hundreds of children in England are set to benefit from a treatment for cystic fibrosis - Kaftrio, after the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed an extension to its licence.
With the licence extension, more than 1,300 children in England with cystic fibrosis, aged six to 11, are newly eligible for this treatment, which improves lung function and improves overall quality of life of patients.
Earlier, Kaftrio was only licensed for those aged 12 and above.
British patients were the first in Europe to benefit from Kaftrio, when NHS England secured a landmark deal in June 2020.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: "Since NHS staff delivered one of the fastest rollouts of Kaftrio in the world just over a year ago, the lives of thousands of patients with cystic fibrosis have been transformed.
"Innovative treatments like Kaftrio are life-changing for patients and their families, and that is why the NHS has done all it can since we secured the deal for Kaftrio to ensure patients benefit as soon as possible.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has removed a pharmacist from its register who black-marketed 'zolpidem' along with another pharmacist between 2015
and 2016.
Dean Zainool Dookhan, a pharmacist first registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on 18 October 2004 and whose registration was later
transferred to the General Pharmaceutical Council under registration number 2059808, was jailed last year for exporting 20,000 packets of zolpidem to the Caribbean.
While hearing the case on 24-25 May, GPhC's Fitness to Practise Committee stated that "removal of the Registrant's name from the register is the appropriate and
proportionate response to his convictions."
"The public interest includes protecting the public, maintaining public confidence in the profession, and maintaining proper standards of behaviour. The Committee
is entitled to give greater weight to the public interest than the Registrant's own interest in remaining on the register."
"The Committee recognises the sanction has a punitive effect in that the Registrant's ability to practise and earn an income as a pharmacist and 28 his professional
reputation will be curtailed; it will be five years before he can seek restoration to the register. However, that is the price he must pay for failing to comply with the fundamental tenets of his profession."