The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has awarded Professor Abdul Basit with the RPS Harrison Memorial Medal for an outstanding contribution to advancing
pharmaceutical science.
Professor Basit graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Pharmacy from the University of Bath, and received his PhD from The School of Pharmacy, University
of London.
Currently in position as Professor of Pharmaceutics at the UCL School of Pharmacy, he is internationally recognised for leading in the field of drug delivery,
microbiome medicines, three-dimensional printing of pharmaceuticals and digital health. He has also founded three start-up companies.
Professor Basit has an impressive track record of publications, and a lifetime grant and investment income of over £100million pounds. His research has led to
a series of transformative drug delivery systems, translated into the design of new technologies and improved therapies, many of which have been commercialised
and launched worldwide including a new treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. To date, more than a million patients have benefited from inventions created and
developed in the Basit Research Group.
An Indian court has sentenced two pharmaceutical company executives to two-and-half years in jail for exporting substandard drugs to Vietnam a decade ago,
months after the WHO linked their cough syrups to the deaths of children in Gambia.
India suspended production at Maiden Pharmaceuticals in October last year for violations of manufacturing standards after the World Health Organization said four of
its cough syrups may have killed dozens of children in Gambia.
The company has denied its drugs were at fault for the deaths in Gambia and tests by an Indian government laboratory found there were no toxins in them.
The company had been facing legal difficulties for years over suspected shoddy products.
A court in Sonipat, near New Delhi, where Maiden has its main production facility, ordered jail for company founder Naresh Kumar Goel and technical director
M.K. Sharma for exporting heartburn medicine "not of standard quality" to Vietnam.
Sigma Pharmaceuticals, a leading pharmacy wholesaler and distributor in the UK, has once again demonstrated its commitment to supporting the local
community by helping raise over £70,000 for local charitable causes.
As per a statement from Watford-based industry leader, they raised £20,000 for Citizens Advice Watford, their selected charity of the year, during the recent
Sigma annual conference held in Sun City, South Africa.
Additionally, Sigma played a vital part in raising more than £52,000 for 'Team George' at the London Marathon Charity run held on Sunday, 21 April 2024 to
support cancer charities.
Throughout the year, Sigma will continue to partner with Citizens Advice Watford, a local charity that provides frontline service to the community, giving free,
expert and impartial advice and support to 8,000 people a year, many of whom are facing crisis situations.
Applauding the work done by this charity, Dr Bharat Shah CBE, Founder and Managing Director at Sigma, said: "It has been eye-opening to learn about the
life-changing impact the charity has on the lives of so many people.
"We have seen how their expert team works day in and day out to speak up for people who have nowhere else to turn, ensuring they receive the support and
services they're entitled to."
Rosemont Pharmaceuticals (Rosemont) has acquired Lucis Pharma Ltd, a specialist pharmaceutical business in the UK.
Through this acquisition Rosemont will expand its existing portfolio and have access to a pipeline of innovative products, providing lifesaving pharmaceuticals to
the UK and overseas markets.
Founded in 2012, Lucis has grown to become a leading provider in the development and licensing of novel and exclusive medicines. With over a dozen SKUs covering a
variety of therapeutic areas, Lucis has established a strong portfolio that, in addition to a pipeline of innovative developments, serve the growing patient need for
liquid medicines.
The acquisition will enable Rosemont to broaden its portfolio and enter the unit dose / sachet market through the pipeline products, whilst growing the business
through recent Lucis product launches in 2021/22.
"As well as continuing to broaden our portfolio and add to our strong growth globally, this acquisition also gives access to pipeline products and developer
relationships to accelerate our entry into new product areas such as sachets" said Howard Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Rosemont.
Three leading healthcare bodies in Scotland have called for action to reduce the environmental impact caused by medicine prescribing.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland, Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland have all
urged policymakers to enable a more sustainable approach to prescribing.
This includes prioritising the introduction of electronic prescribing across the NHS, introducing the requirement for an environmental impact in NHS medicines
procurement and improving the availability of data about the environmental impact of medicines.
"We call on Scottish government, including the chief medical officer, to enable the delivery of a realistic medicine approach to prescribing by developing a
supportive infrastructure for green social prescribing across Scotland," said the healthcare professionals in a joint statement.
They have called on the pharmaceutical industry to make information about the environmental impact of medicines readily available in a standardised data format.
As we take look back over the past year and reflect on what we have achieved, it's also important that we look ahead to new challenges and opportunities that
may arise in 2023. We have seen remarkable innovation across the industry in 2022, from big break throughs in treatment and improvements to patient outcomes, to how
the industry is working with big data and technology. But it's fair to say that these achievements came paired with just as many challenges including a continued
talent shortage, hangovers from the pandemic, increasing pressures to innovate and ongoing macroeconomic challenges.
As we head into 2023, I expect these existing challenges to continue alongside new ones, but I also anticipate more opportunities to present themselves. At
Pharamanovia, we predict that the key trends set to catalyse the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries in 2023 include break through innovations, technology,
big data, sustainability, ongoing policy changes and a shift in investment due to inflation.
Utilising big data and tech
Technology has been recognised as one of the industry's biggest tools for many years, and I don't expect to see the pace of how we use technology in healthcare and
pharma to slow down any time soon. In 2023, I expect that we will see further automation in the way we work, with an increase in digital engagement and healthcare
providers leveraging remote access further.
Benjamin Hannan, director of reform and transformation at NHS Fife, has been honoured with the prestigious title of Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
(RPS), marking a significant milestone in his career.
Hailing from Falkirk, Hannan is the youngest Scottish Fellow in the society's history, a testament to his exceptional contributions to the field of pharmacy.
The fellowship, a distinction bestowed upon members who have demonstrated remarkable achievements in advancing pharmaceutical knowledge or have shown exceptional
distinction in pharmacy science, practice, profession, or history, is a recognition of Hannan's dedication and expertise in the field.
Expressing his gratitude, Hannan told The Faulkner Herlad, "I am delighted and humbled to have been made a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society."
IND-SWIFT is a Chandigarh based pharmaceutical company, established in 1986 with a mission of winning global customers through innovative pharmaceutical products. Three visionaries Jains, Mehtas and Munjals, dedicated themselves to work for humanity's quest for longer, happier and healthier lives . IND-SWIFT has been ranked 35th among top Indian Pharmaceutical companies.
Loughborough-based generic and branded pharmaceutical manufacturer Morningside Pharmaceuticals has donated almost 60,000 packs of essential medicines to communities impacted by the war in Ukraine.
The donation, which includes 1.29 million doses, was made after the company's founder and chairman, Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, spoke with the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Vadym Prystaiko, at a business event in London.
Dr Kotecha, who was also recently appointed a deputy lieutenant of Leicestershire, said: "The heartbreaking situation in Ukraine has touched us all, and like so many people in the United Kingdom, we've been keen to do everything we can to help the victims of this terrible conflict."
The large shipment of medicines has been transported in a secure and temperature controlled environment via Morningside's logistics partner to the embassy's distribution hub in Poland. From there the medicines will be supplied to hospitals, healthcare centres and patients throughout Ukraine including the regions hardest hit by the Russian invasion.
The Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) has rebranded to be known as Community Pharmacy to present a strengthened and unified identity to the
local NHS, local government and other stakeholders, as the local voice of community pharmacy.
"There are now 58 LPCs in England. The number of LPCs has reduced from 69, with further consolidation expected by April 2024 to a network of 48 local organisations,"
said Community Pharmacy England.
"The changes mean there will be better alignment between LPCs and the 42 NHS Integrated Care Systems in England, who have taken on the responsibility for
commissioning pharmaceutical services delegated by NHS England."
"This marks a significant milestone, as similar to Community Pharmacy England, LPCs have been undergoing changes to respond to the Review Steering Group (RSG)
recommendations on pharmacy representation. The sector voted in favour of the RSG proposals in the summer of 2022, and since then progress has been made on many
of the changes at both local and national level as part of the Transforming Pharmacy Representation (TAPR) Programme."
Today, pharmaceutical companies can't simply make an effective drug and count on healthcare providers (HCPs) to come to them - they have to find innovative
ways to attract them. Statista shows that in 2015 there were only 3,286 pharma companies with active research and development pipelines. In 2023, this number
jumped to more than 5,500.
As an earth-shattering number of new drugs are flooding the market each year, HCPs are having a hard time determining the best medicine for their patients.
Meanwhile, pharma companies invest more in marketing to help HCPs get rid of choice paralysis and make them choose their solution over that of competitors.
In this article, we will share the tried-and-true tactics to build a strong pharma brand.
Get creative with interactive email marketing
One…two…three…No, we're not counting to run a marathon. Three seconds is what you've got to pull your reader in with your email. Fail to quickly grab the
audience's attention? We've got some bad news for you. Nobody's going to bother reading about how amazing your pharmaceutical product is if you're churning
out generic emails with artificial intelligence tools.
AAH Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday (November 15) announced the promotion of its commercial director David Bound to chief executive officer of the company.
In his 10 years in the company, Mr Bound has helped to drive growth across the AAH business, implementing new digital channels for customers, and developing
strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers - drawing on from his vast experience in the healthcare industry, as well as in supply chain, operations,
and trading.
Commenting on his promotion, he said: "I'm delighted to be taking on this role at such a critical time for healthcare. There are many challenges affecting the
industry right now - from inflationary pressures to workforce issues - and I'm looking forward to tackling them head-on alongside my excellent team."
David Webb, the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, acknowledged that the "pressure in the system is high", but urged everyone to "keep our eye on the
design" of the NHS plan, adding that the "the objective is to bring the different parts of primary care together" in the patient interest.
Speaking during the opening keynote session at the the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) conference held on Thursday (13 October), he added that the NHS plan
intends to bring different parts of primary care together to help patients.
He said the new integrated care boards (ICBs) are a key strategic framework as they provide the "potential to form partnerships to deliver integrated services across
larger populations".
"ICBs will want to work with Local Pharmaceutical Committees to plan for the local population and the new community pharmacy clinical leads in ICBs, who have been
funded by NHS England, are there to advise."
He explained that once an ICB takes over the commissioning of pharmaceutical services (which they are all due to do by April 2023), it could use its funds to
commission a local enhanced service as an add on to an advanced service. For instance, a CVD risk assessment could be added to the blood pressure check service.
In many cases, a pharmacy's most valuable asset is its NHS contract. This is what buyers are paying for - the right to provide pharmaceutical services
commissioned by the NHS and be reimbursed for the medicines dispensed.
However, a pharmacy consists of more than just an NHS contract and when buyers look for a pharmacy to buy, they will also examine these other areas - the pharmacy's
customer base, its staff, the property it operates from - to name a few - because these are all also crucial to a successful pharmacy.
In this day and age, another important consideration is the pharmacy's intellectual property (IP) i.e. the pharmacy's rights to certain types of information, ideas,
and forms of expression. At the most basic level, this includes the trade mark in the name of the pharmacy, because all pharmacies will have a name by which they
distinguish themselves from other pharmacies. The more well-known the name, the more valuable this form of IP is - mention 'Boots', for example, and most will have
an instant association with the largest pharmaceutical retailer in the UK.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has become a member of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
On Thursday (22 September), the FIP council voted to welcome the PDA as a full member of the global federation of organisations that brings together and advances
pharmacy.
Mark Koziol, PDA chairman, said: "Being admitted to FIP with such a decisive level of support from its Council means that the PDA can ensure that UK pharmacists
can enjoy a clear and powerful voice representing their collective professional interests at global level, which of late they could not.
"Bringing one of the largest pharmacy membership organisations in the world to FIP also gives the PDA significant influence in being able to inform the policies of
the World Health Organisation. This means that the PDA can do even more for members by helping to make pharmacy practice more professionally fulfilling for them."
"The PDA constantly seeks ways to provide even better support for members; membership of FIP will give the PDA much more influence and will result in better outcomes
for pharmacists," the association said.
To support humanitarian crises in other parts of the world, the PDA approached FIP, as a global pharmacy leadership organisation.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a company-led drug recall for Sodium Chloride Eye Drops 5% 1x10ml
(unlicensed medicine) Stockport Pharmaceuticals.
Stockport Pharmaceuticals said that the above batch of Sodium Chloride Eye Drops 5% w/v as the sterile eye droppers supplied with the medicinal product have
expired (Jan 2022).
The authority said, "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
manufacturer has full traceability of the product's distribution."
"Remaining stock of the above batch should be quarantined and returned to Stockport Pharmaceuticals directly."
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has confirmed it will respond to UK Commission's 'call for evidence' on pharmacy professional leadership.
The commission wants to ensure the professions are well equipped, with a voice to help shape the future, and enabled to develop through sharing and learning from
best practice.
The UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership has been set up by the chief pharmaceutical officers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It will
produce recommendations for the future of pharmacy professional leadership in the UK.
The commission is co-chaired by Nigel Clarke, former chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council, and Professor Dame Jane Dacre, professor of medical education at
University College London's Medical School.
The commission will be hosting a webinar and has urged the associations and individuals to take part in 'call for evidence' which has been launched to inform and
develop its work.
A webinar in England will take place on Wednesday 7 September 6:30 - 8 pm. In Scotland it will be organised on Tuesday 6 September 7-8:30 pm and in Wales it will be
hosted on Thursday 8 September 7-8:30 pm.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has published Pharmacy: Delivering a Healthier Wales that outlines a plan focusing on what can be achieved by end of 2025.
The society has urged people to share their views by responding to the consultation on four key themes which were already set out in Pharmacy: Delivering a Healthier
Wales -enhancing patient experience; developing the pharmacy workforce; seamless pharmaceutical care; and harnessing innovation and technology.
"We want to hear from as many of you as possible. It is important that the aims for pharmacy over the next three years are right. So please take a look at the draft
2025 goals, the proposed activity and measures and complete our consultation response form by 11 September," said RPS.
"We have been proud to continue to manage this important ambition for Wales, working on behalf of the Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee and with colleagues from all
over Wales. Over 300 of you have already contributed to our face to face and virtual engagement sessions we held over the past three months and we thank you for your
valuable input.
New legislative orders approved by the Privy Council will give the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
powers to set professional standards for Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent Pharmacists and Chief Pharmacists.
The Pharmacy (Preparation and Dispensing Errors - Hospital (and Other Pharmacy Services) Order 2022 and the Pharmacy (Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent
Pharmacists etc.) Order 2022 have been published and are expected to come into force in December 2022.
Trevor Patterson, Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Society NI said: "We have been working with our colleagues in the GPhC and Government for some time on these
two pieces of important legislation and we are delighted they have now reached the statute books.
"Both Orders enable and enhance the powers we, and the GPhC, have to define the roles and responsibilities of Responsible, Superintendent and Chief Pharmacists,
respectively. They also create protections against criminal prosecution for hospital pharmacists where an inadvertent error is made either in dispensing or assembly,
in certain defined circumstances, similar to the protections available to colleagues working in community/registered pharmacy settings. Provisions that allow the
appointment of a Deputy Registrar for our organisation will also be introduced.
The UK must act swiftly to fend off competition if it wants to build the world's leading life sciences sciences hub, a new report suggests.
A year on from the launch of the government's life science vision, the report commissioned by the the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said
although achieving the ambition remained feasible, the UK would need an attractive business environment because its competitor countries were becoming more adept
at attracting investment.
To achieve the ambition of the vision, the PwC-produced report suggested raising pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK to build a 'stronger manufacturing and
research infrastructure', alongside better investment in, access to and uptake of innovative medicines.
It said the UK would also need to adopt a renewed approach to the priority healthcare challenges identified in the government's 'Life Science Vision', which would
mean cutting the overall burden on health of dementia, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease and mental health.
The report quantified the size of the prize if the vision was implemented in full and the UK could emulate the successes of leading EU countries, which included:
£68 billion in additional GDP over 30 years, owing to increased R&D investment
£16.3 billion additional annual GDP from increased pharmaceutical exports
Supporting 85,000 additional jobs
Up to 40 per cent decrease in disease burden across the whole UK - for areas like cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions and Cancer.
Reduced variation in speed of access to new medicines within three months of licensing for all NHS patients.