Group items matching

in title, tags, annotations or url

Advanz Pharma, alongside London-based private equity firms Cinven and HgCapital, is collectively confronted with an £84 million penalty for inflating the price of the thyroid drug by over 1,000 per cent, soaring from £20 to £248 per package over an eight-year period. The Competition Appeal Tribunal endorsed 'all key aspects' of the Competition and Markets Authority's verdict on the companies' culpability in the case, the CMA has said. Advanz stood as the sole supplier of liothyronine tablets, essential for treating thyroid hormone deficiency, with the cost of a packet of these tablets surging over 12-fold between 2009 and 2017. Although Advanz Pharma currently possesses ownership of the company, its former owners, PE firms Cinven and HgCapital, also bear responsibility for the imposed fine, the CMA said. "NHS annual spending on the tablets in 2006, the year before the implementation of the strategy, was £600,000, but by 2009 had increased to more than £2.3 million and jumped to more than £30 million by 2016," Britain's competition watchdog said.

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."

Adults who are overweight or obese and have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes are at a higher risk of developing severe health issues, according to authors of a recent study. Experts. however, disagree on the best dietary regimens and supportive measures to suggest. The latest study was published in the journal 'The Annals of Family Medicine'. In the findings, researchers used a 2×2 diet-by-support factorial design to randomise 94 adults with the aforementioned conditions, contrasting a very low-carbohydrate (VLC) or ketogenic diet with a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. They also determined the outcomes of interventions that included and excluded additional support practices like mindful eating, effective emotion regulation, social support, and cooking instruction. Using intent-to-treat analyses, the VLC diet led to greater improvement in estimated mean systolic blood pressure (SBP; -9.8 mmHg vs. -5.2 mmHg, P =.046), greater improvement in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c; -.4 per cent vs. -.1 per cent, P = 0.034), and greater improvement in weight (-19.14 lbs vs. -10.33 lbs, P = 0.0003), compared to the DASH diet. The addition of extra support did not have a statistically significant effect on outcomes.

Atorvastatin, a medicine to treat high blood cholesterol, is the most dispensed drug with 59 million items in England in 2022/23, revealed the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on Thursday (8 June). While Apixaban (an anticoagulant) was the drug with the highest costs of £430 million. Apixaban 5mg tablets had the largest increase in cost between 2021/22 and 2022/23 in England, with an increase of £280 million. NHSBSA's annual statistics report 'Prescription Cost Analysis-England 2022/23' published also has revealed an eight per cent rise in the prescription items that were dispensed in the community in England. The report highlighted that in 2022/23, 1.18 billion prescription items were dispensed at a cost of £10.4 billion in the community in England, witnessing an increase of eight per cent from £9.69 billion in 2021/22.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has released conclusive draft guidance, suggesting Pfizer's Vydura (rimegepant) as a choice for treating acute migraines in adults with or without aura. However, there is a caveat. This recommendation applies exclusively to individuals with a prior history of migraines, meeting one of the following criteria: At least 2 triptans were tried and they did not work well enough or Triptans were contraindicated or not tolerated, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol were tried but did not work well enough. This drug was developed by the US-based Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Pfizer in 2022, in an $11.6 billion deal. Nurtec ODT is the commercial name for the drug in the US, while the European Union approved the drug under the name Vydura in April 2022. NICE recommended rimegepant, an oral lyophilisate (dissolving wafer) and the first oral calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist for acute migraine treatment, to be taken at the onset of a migraine attack. Migraine affects one in seven people in the UK, often with a debilitating impact, Pfizer UK said in a statement. The condition entails symptoms such as head pain, vomiting, nausea, altered vision, fatigue, and heightened sensitivity to light, sound, and odours.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the marketing authorisation of Adtralza, a dermatological solution developed by Danish specialist LEO Pharma. This injectable solution contains 300 mg of tralokinumab in a 2 mL pre-filled pen and will be available for tralokinumab patients in the UK from early 2024. Tralokinumab is indicated for treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adult and adolescent patients aged 12 and older who require systemic therapy, Leo Pharma said in a statement. It is a fully human monoclonal antibody developed to specifically bind to and inhibit the IL-13 cytokine. Previously, it was available in a 150 mg in 1 mL pre-filled syringe. According to Leo Pharma, the 300 mg tralokinumab in a 2 mL pre-filled pen offers a streamlined administration for both patients and prescribers. It begins with an initial 600 mg dose in two injections, followed by a single 300 mg maintenance dose administered every other week. "We're pleased that this simplified administration method for tralokinumab will soon benefit eligible atopic dermatitis patients in the UK. It aligns with our commitment to elevate the standard of care and support for individuals with skin conditions," said Leanne Walsh, Vice President and General Manager of UK and Ireland at LEO Pharma.

Whether it's the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and those suffering with long Covid, or the financial pressures of rising living costs, these hard times can affect absolutely anyone's mental health. Mental health problems have worsened across all age-groups in the last few years, from lack of social interaction, unexpected bereavements or the significant impact of a physical injury or long-term illness taking its toll on mental wellbeing - these challenging experiences and situations that we face throughout life leave a big strain on the population. Ultimately, there is an urgent need to reduce rising levels of mental ill-health in our society. As a pharmacist with 25 years' experience in healthcare, I feel I have an obligation to my patients to support them with their healthcare needs, and mental health should be treated just the same as physical health. Despite efforts to improve NHS mental health services, patients may still not be receiving the appropriate immediate care as they are often provided with online counselling or an App for long-term support (online support introduced since the pandemic). Community pharmacists are in a unique position to be advocates for patients with mental illness as they are the healthcare professionals' patients see most often. This is a good opportunity for pharmacists to speak to patients face-to-face and give them advice in a more practical way rather than potentially waiting weeks for an GP appointment.

Kailash Deepak Hospital is one of East Delhi's best multispeciality hospital, experts in treating a wide range of medical conditions. Whether it's a routine check-up or a complicated surgery, you can trust Kailash Deepak Hospital to take care of you.

Despite a 13 per cent increase from last year, less than a quarter (21%) of pharmacy teams recommend Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) as a first line of treatment for frequent heartburn. There has been a 4% decrease in pharmacy teams considering 'frequent heartburn' as a condition that occurs more than once a week 8-in-10 said a larger pack size would be useful to their patients who suffer from frequent heartburn. Haleon, formerly part of GSK, has recently commissioned research to better understand how pharmacy teams help patients to treat frequent heartburn. Comparing with data captured last year, there has been a been a +13% increase in the number of pharmacy teams recommending Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) (21% in 2022 vs 8% in 2021). Nexium Control, the UK's number one heartburn product for 24-hour protection, aims to use this research to provide better support for pharmacists and their teams and encourage the recommendation of PPIs, where appropriate for frequent heartburn, over other heartburn remedies.

The number of people suffering from addiction is at an all time high, with more people seeking treatment across the USA due to the fentanyl crisis, but new studies have shown that addiction drugs may not only be able to aid those suffering from the deadly disease, but also aid people suffering from long COVID. While there has long been research underway to find a cure for the likes of alcoholism and drug addiction, it turns out naltrexone, a drug used in the addiction treatment space, is helping people who have been suffering from headaches, seizures and fatigue as a result of long COVID. According to Dr. Paul Valbuena at The River Source, an Arizona drug rehab, naltrexone is typically used by rehab centers and prescribed to patients suffering from addiction to reduce cravings and the feeling of euphoria associated with substance use disorder, giving patients clarity and focus to concentrate on recovery. Thanks to a recent report, that has also been revealed to be the case for those suffering with long COVID too, with Lauren Nichols, a long COVID sufferer from Chicago being prescribed the drug by her doctor. She found that the drug helped quell her seizures and headaches, alowing her to think clearly and get on with her life as normal. It's been a similar story for other patients too, and has marked a major breakthrough in the bid to help those who are still suffering in the aftermath of the pandemic.

More than half of people (52%) do not feel confident in treating backache and less than half (44%) uses community pharmacists' advice as their first step on self-treatable conditions, a self-care attitudes 2022 survey has revealed. PAGB, the consumer healthcare association, surveyed over 2,000 adults across the UK about their attitudes towards self-care and access to health services. According to the survey, the public is in favour of self-care but many people lack the confidence and knowledge to care for the most common self-treatable conditions including backaches, headaches, diarrhoea and constipation. Four in five respondents (79%) said that people should take more responsibility for their own health and three-quarters (73%) believe that the NHS should make self-treatment easier. Behaviours around the current use of pharmacy varied - with less than half (44%) using community pharmacists as their first step in in getting advice on self-treatable conditions - but longer term attitudes were encouraging, with 69% supporting the idea of GPs being able to make referrals to pharmacists. Respondents also supported expanding the role of pharmacists so that their skills can be better utilised.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca will acquire biotechnology company Neogene Therapeutics for up to $320 million, the London-listed drugmaker said on Tuesday (November 29) as it seeks to build its pipeline of cell-based cancer treatments. Though AstraZeneca's oncology portfolio accounted for more than a third of the company's revenue last year, it does not have an approved cell-based cancer therapy and is behind rivals such as Novartis and Gilead. "Neogene's leading (T-cell receptor) discovery capabilities and extensive manufacturing experience complement the cell therapy capability we have built over the last three years," said Susan Galbraith, AstraZeneca's executive vice president of oncology research. Cell-based treatments are a relatively new approach to treating cancer, most of which involve drawing the body's own immune cells and processing them in the lab to target and kill cancer cells. Neogene's approach goes one step further in that its experimental T-cell receptor therapies seek to target DNA mutations specific to tumours, not only certain proteins on the surface of cancer cells.

Amgen's experimental obesity drug demonstrated promising durability trends in an early trial, paving the way for a larger mid-stage study early next year, company officials said ahead of a data presentation on Saturday (December 3). The small Phase I trial found that patients maintained their weight loss for 70 days after receiving the highest tested dose of the injected drug, currently known as AMG133. Amgen shares have gained about 5% since the company said on Nov. 7 that 12 weeks of trial treatment at the highest monthly dose of AMG133 resulted in mean weight loss of 14.5%. At 150 days after the last dose, maintained weight loss had dropped to 11.2% below original weight at the start of the trial, according to findings detailed at a meeting of World Congress of Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Los Angeles. Patients treated with AMG133 did have side effects including nausea and vomiting, but most cases were mild and resolved within a couple of days after the first dose, Amgen said.

An ever-increasing emphasis is being placed on getting and staying fit and mobile, whatever your age, with good reason. Regular aerobic exercise (physical activity which gets the heart beating faster) helps patients to: Reduce or maintain body weight Reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes Control blood sugar (helpful for diabetics) Maintain mobility and muscle strength, allowing daily activities to be undertaken more easily Improve mood, physical activity can be beneficial for everyone. However, injuries sometimes happen during exercise or everyday life. Collectively, injuries to tendons, ligaments and/or skeletal muscle, are referred to as musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. Post pandemic pharmacists are now the first port of call for many seeking to self-treat so it is important that information, advice and a wide range of treatment options are available. While the precise incidence and prevalence of such disorders are difficult to define, they are known to be the most common rheumatic causes of sickness absences from work. Indeed, soft tissue complaints account for up to 59 per cent of new patient referrals to rheumatology practice and up to 15 per cent of consultations in primary care. Ankle injuries are very common with an estimated incidence of one per 100,000 population per day. They account for about one in five of all sports related injuries. The majority of ankle injuries are moderate ligament sprains. With appropriate treatment the majority of patients should be able to return to normal activities within a few weeks.

Three UK pharmacists are featured in the digital book of celebrations to mark the International Federation of Pharmacists' (FIP) World Pharmacists' Day 2022. Simon Nelson, Nelsons Pharmacy Group, Wales; Raj Rohilla, Midhurst Pharmacy (West Sussex)/Goys Pharmacy (Battersea)/ Hamlins Pharmacy (Shepherds Bush) and Olutayo Arikawe, Swinford Pharmacy, West Midlands were among 27 pharmacists from across the globe and the AmerisourceBergen family, who contributed to a digital book of celebration, which aims to highlight the changing role of pharmacists and how they can create healthier futures. Pharmacists are no longer just 'chemists' - some pharmacists are now able to diagnose, treat and prescribe for patients who traditionally may have needed to see a doctor or GP. Others are guardians of their local community - keeping an eye on vulnerable patients who may not have regular contact with other healthcare professionals. During the Covid-19 pandemic they stepped up to support stretched healthcare systems, with many taking a leading role in the world-wide response. This has evolved further with more and more pharmacists offering vaccination services for Covid-19, as well as flu, chicken pox and 'holiday' vaccinations. This changing role of pharmacists is helping them unite to create healthier futures.

Jonathan Burton will receive the 2022 RPS Charter Award for his outstanding work for the Society and the wider profession in promoting the interests of pharmacy. The award will be presented by the President at a future meeting of Fellows and Members to take place at the Society's Edinburgh office on 22nd March 2023. Jonathan's main role is as a practising, patient-facing pharmacist within the community in NHS Forth Valley where he uses his advanced practice skills and independent prescribing qualification to assess and treat acute ENT, dermatology, and respiratory conditions. He was one of the first community pharmacist prescribers in Scotland and has always been at the forefront of innovation and service development. Jonathan has demonstrated outstanding commitment and passion for the pharmacy profession throughout his career. He has excelled as a pharmacist in the Right Medicine Pharmacy group, on local and national committees, in advocacy for the pharmacy profession and as a local and national leader who is highly regarded as an exceptional role model for the profession.

Over the past two years, the Covid pandemic has resulted in a backlog of elective care within the NHS, with record numbers of patients on waiting lists across the UK. Despite efforts to catch up after the first wave, subsequent waves have put further strain on an already stretched NHS system. This has had a tremendous impact on many patients waiting for routine dermatology appointments and, while every effort has been made to see patients with suspected serious skin cancers within two weeks, this target is not always achieved. With rising waiting times, pharmacists are increasingly the first port of call for patients suffering with a broad range of skin problems. From acne and rosacea, eczema or psoriasis, to changing skin lesions or simple insect bites, pharmacists can give helpful advice, allowing some customers to find quick relief to their skin complaint in mild cases, while directing others to see their GP without delay. Below is some practical advice that pharmacists can give to their customers with commonly encountered skin complaints. Acne Acne is a common skin condition that not only affects teenagers but adults too. It is estimated that up to 40 per cent of women continue to suffer with acne into their adult years. Acne has been linked to an increased incidence of depression, anxiety and even suicidal ideation. Patients have reported feeling overlooked and often dismissed in their concerns by health care professionals. Unfortunately, these issues have been further compounded by delays in being seen and treated due to the ongoing Covid pandemic. Pharmacists are well placed to help acne patients choose the right skincare. This should consist of lightweight products, such as gel or milky cleansers, with moisturisers in serum, lotion or light cream preparations. Some acne suitable products are further labelled as non-comedogenic. Oil-based or occlusive preparations are best avoided. There are many good quality, non-comedogenic sun blocks suited

Alitam has announced that it has merged with clinical skills training provider MHRx to upskill UK pharmacists so that its chain of community pharmacies in the UK can diagnose and treat minor medical ailments "quickly and safely". This is a second merger deal announced by the group that has 100-plus pharmacies, just days after its merger with Pharmadoctor to "radically transform the UK and Ireland's community pharmacy sector" into a truly preventative healthcare system. Following the merger with MHRx, Alitam will now be providing a career development platform for its pharmacy teams, which also include nurses and other healthcare professionals. MHRx's training incorporates every aspect of general practice alongside relevant topics including making appropriate patient consultation records in line with NHS guidelines. This, Alitam believes, will allow community pharmacies to carry out formal diagnoses, formulate differential diagnosis plans, and perform full clinical examinations. According to the founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo, mergers such as these will lead to "a healthcare revolution predicated on building the world's first truly preventative healthcare model".

Being one of the top fertility specialists in Noida, Dr. Sweta Gupta is the medical director of Crysta IVF and has been practicing for more than 25+ years. With her immense knowledge and compassion, she has treated thousands of couples and helped her in their journey to becoming proud parents.

Colonis, a subsidiary company of the Clinigen Group has received the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approval for Melatonin 1mg/ml Oral Solution for sleep onset insomnia in children and adolescents aged 6-17 years with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Clinical evidence demonstrates that Melatonin has the potential to decrease sleep latency and increase sleep efficiency in children with ADHD and chronic sleep onset insomnia. Children with ADHD are statistically more likely to have sleep onset insomnia than non-ADHD children. The prevalence of sleep onset insomnia in children with ADHD ranges from 25%-50%. Sleep onset insomnia in children with ADHD can affect their mood, attention, behaviour and school performance. Henno Welgemoed, Director of Medical Affairs at Colonis said: "We welcome the MHRA's approval for a condition that negatively affects the quality of life for children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD and increases the burden for support networks."