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HRA Pharma is celebrating the 1st anniversary of Hana, the first type of daily oral contraception available in the UK without a prescription. The launch of Hana in 2021 followed the historic decision of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to grant a marketing authorisation and marked a significant step forward in the women's contraception category. The company reports that pharmacists have embraced the reclassification and have found merit in using emergency contraception consultations as an opportunity to educate women on their over-the-counter contraception options. Alison Slingsby, innovations project manager at HRA Pharma, commented: "We have been delighted with Hana's reception - within weeks of launch, it quickly became the best-selling mini-pill without prescription, with more than 95 per cent market share, and has maintained this market leading position ever since. We previously had the experience of switching emergency contraceptive ellaOne to a P medicine, Hana is on track to match and eventually exceed the ellaOne volumes.

In its response to a Freedom of Information Request (FOI), the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has confirmed a net decrease of 101 pharmacies in England - with 371 closures and 270 new contracts. Meanwhile, the General Pharmaceutical Council data projected a drop of 43 registered pharmacies in England, Wales, and Scotland for the year ending March 31, 2023, compared to the preceding period. The data, released by business advisor Christie & Co in its annual pharmacy market review on Sept. 5, revealed a total of 14,328 pharmacies across all four UK country regions as of March 31, 2023, indicating a 0.3 per cent decrease from the previous year. Corporate operators experienced a net reduction of 249 pharmacies, while the total number of independent operators remained consistent with 2022. According to the study, the corporate sector saw the most substantial shift, with a 13.7 per cent reduction in businesses operating 300 or more pharmacies. Following closely, groups managing 11 to 15 pharmacies experienced a 5.6 per cent decrease. Christie & Co attributed this shift in group size to operators acquiring additional pharmacies through corporate disposal opportunities throughout the year.

Starting from January 2024, it will be compulsory for medicine suppliers in the NHS supply chain in England to submit an Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment each year. Suppliers who fail to submit the sustainability assessment will not be placed on medicines contracts, said NHS England. The NHS has taken this move as part of its ambition to reach carbon net zero by 2045. The Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment is a self-assessment and reporting tool for suppliers to share sustainability information with the NHS. Chris McAleer, medicines net zero project delivery manager at NHS England, announced this new rule at the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists' Procurement and Distribution Interest Group Autumn Symposium held in Birmingham on 2 November 2023.

Whitworth Chemists Limited has instructed the property adviser, Christie & Co, to sell six of its pharmacies in Blackpool, as part of the company's wider portfolio sale across the North of England. The pharmacies are located on Kingscote Drive, Charles Street, Whitegate Drive, Bloomfield Road, Waterloo Road, and Common Edge Road. According to the specialist broker, these are high-dispensing pharmacies, dispensing an average of circa 9,700 items per month. Some of the accompanying freehold buildings are also up for sale, and interest is invited on a group, subgroup, or individual basis. Jon Booth, Director - Pharmacy at Christie & Co, who is handling the sale, said: "We are delighted to have been engaged by the family and shareholders of Whitworth Chemists Limited in this exciting project.

The UK is lagging behind comparable countries when it comes to cancer survival, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has said, calling on all political parties to make cancer a top priority in their party manifestos. While cancer survival rates in the UK have doubled over the last 50 years, the charity warned that the hard-won progress is at risk of stalling, with NHS cancer services in "crisis" and around half a million cancer cases a year projected by 2040. The charity has published an ambitious cancer plan which, if adopted by the next UK government, could dramatically improve cancer outcomes and prevent 20,000 cancer deaths a year by 2040. Called "Longer Better Lives: A Manifesto for Cancer Research and Care", the plan has been developed with the insights of cancer patients and experts from across health, life sciences, government and academic sectors, it said.

The world's first human challenge trial in which volunteers were deliberately exposed to Covid-19 to advance research into the disease was found to be safe in healthy young adults, one of the companies running the study said on Wednesday. The data supports the safety of this model which could theoretically provide a "plug and play" platform for testing therapies and vaccines using the original Covid-19 strain as well as variants of the virus, Open Orphan, which carried out the study, said in a statement. Open Orphan is running the project, launched a year ago, with Imperial College London, the UK government's vaccines task force and the clinical company  hVIVO. The trial infected 36 healthy male and female volunteers aged 18-29 years with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain of the virus and closely monitored them in a controlled quarantined setting. They will be followed up for 12 months after discharge from the quarantine facility.

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.

According to Alzheimer's Disease International, more than 55 million people worldwide will have Alzheimer's disease by 2020. This figure will nearly double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. The WHO Global Status Report for 2021 estimated the yearly global cost of dementia to be more than USD 1.3 trillion, with a projected increase to USD 2.8 trillion by 2030. To date most drugs developed to treat Alzheimer's disease have failed, largely because they target wrong biomarkers and individuals already exhibiting signs of the disease. Once symptoms appear, however, many brain cells responsible for memory and cognition are likely already damaged and beyond repair. Professor Shai Rahimipour in the Chemistry Department at Bar-Ilan University in Israel has pioneered a different approach utilizing theranostics to pinpoint and treat the earliest, pre-symptomatic signs of Alzheimer's disease. Showing promise in stopping progression of the disease before onset of irreversible brain cell damage, Rahimipour's groundbreaking approach has garnered significant attention in the scientific world.

Community pharmacies must be involved in future planning for public health emergencies, especially in cases where a quick response is needed such as the Covid-19 pandemic, a European-wide research has recommended. The project, co-led by the University of Huddersfield professor Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar in medicines and healthcare, focuses on how community pharmacies dealt with the pandemic, covering 31 pharmacy interventions on Covid-19 in 32 countries in Europe. The interventions include prevention, response, and recovery measures. It also covers improved access to medicines, expanded powers granted to pharmacies, rapid antigen testing, along with Covid-19 vaccination. Community pharmacists in the US, Canada, and Australia have been engaged in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response strategic guidance after the 2009 flu pandemic. The aim of the research is to map the current reported practice and trends and review the pharmacies' intervention in Europe.

John Dawson, the founder and former CEO of Alliance Pharma, has donated £5million to the University of Sunderland towards the creation of a new drug research centre. The donation - the biggest in the university's history - will create the John Dawson Drug Discovery and Development Research Institute to improve health and wellbeing of millions of people worldwide. The new centre has been named after the pharmaceutical entrepreneur and Sunderland graduate who, alongside wife Sam, has provided the funding. He and Sam were on Thursday (April 20) joined by specially invited guests from across the region's health, education, and business communities, to launch the Institute housed in the University's Sciences Complex. Unveiling a plaque inside the building, John said: "It's an absolute honour and privilege to be able to launch the new Drug Discovery and Development Research Institute at the University of Sunderland today. "It's been wonderful to be back on the campus and see the incredible developments that have taken place since I studied pharmacy here more than 50 years ago. "I was immediately impressed at what has been achieved in that intervening half-century and I've been delighted to assist the University continue its development, particularly in the health arena. "I hope the launch of this institute will mark the next phase in the University's evolution and I'm very much looking forward to working with the team as they bring their projects to fruition."

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support have announced a formal agreement aimed at enhancing collaboration to better support RPS members and increase the impact of the charity. This partnership comes after years of working closely together, and formalising it will allow both organisations to reach a wider audience and focus on supporting the wellbeing of pharmacy professionals. The aim of the partnership is to establish a visible link between the professional body and the independent charity to increase awareness about the two organisations for greater focus on the support within the sector. Along with this, the key objectives also include identifying fundraising opportunities for Pharmacist Support, and collaborating on specific wellbeing projects.

Kamila Hawthorne, the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Council, was honoured with the GG2 Woman of the Year Award at the annual GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards, held at the Park Plaza Hotel on Tuesday, 5 March. Hawthorne has been a practitioner and a mentor to young GPs for almost 35 years, and has led pioneering research projects focusing on health inequalities, diabetes and heart disease. She has been recognised twice as GP of the Year for her work with minority ethnic communities. Professor Kiran Patel, Group Chief Medical Officer at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, was named the GG2 Man of the Year Award. Apart from being a sought-after cardiologist and consultant, Patel also possesses a wealth of experience in managerial roles. He has done a lot of work in addressing health inequalities, and notably, in 2020, he prescribed the very first COVID-19 vaccine.

In a groundbreaking move, the Department of Education has initiated the first phase of its ambitious childcare expansion plan, offering a lifeline to thousands of working parents of two-year-olds nationwide. Effective from April 1, working parents now have access to 15 hours a week of government-funded childcare, marking the onset of the largest-ever childcare provision expansion in the country's history. This milestone initiative aims to alleviate the financial strain on families and promote workforce participation, with over 150,000 children projected to benefit from government-funded places. By September 2025, the expansion will culminate in working parents gaining access to 30 hours of free childcare, offering substantial annual savings and enabling parents to navigate the delicate balance between work and family commitments. Acknowledging the pivotal role of childcare in supporting families and driving economic growth, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized the government's commitment to delivering on its promise of expanded childcare provision.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published a notification regarding the shortage of Guanfacine 2mg and 3mg modified-release tablets has raised concerns within the healthcare community. This critical medicine supply notification, issued on March 28th, projects the unavailability of these tablets until the week commencing May 6, 2024. Guanfacine tablets, commonly prescribed to alleviate symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity while enhancing attention and concentration, play a vital role in managing conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the scarcity of these specific strengths poses challenges for patients reliant on this medication. Last year, several countries across the globe experienced shortages of medications for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)including the UK, the US and Australia. Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has cautioned that while alternative strengths of Guanfacine remain accessible, they may not adequately meet the heightened demand, potentially resulting in treatment interruptions for patients.

A groundbreaking research project has revealed that the public is urging the government to prioritise primary and community care over hospitals. The study also found a strong public willingness to pay higher taxes to enhance NHS services. The Health Foundation and Ipsos UK conducted the research, combining nationwide polling with in-depth public deliberative workshops. These workshops, held in King's Lynn, Leeds, and London, constitute one of the most comprehensive public consultations about the future of the NHS in England. The study published on 16 May underscores the public's desire for a redistribution of NHS resources. If the NHS budget remains unchanged, 60 per cent of those polled believe the government should focus on improving access to community-based services like general practice and dentistry.

Information on the therapeutic development for Sarcomas, complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Sarcomas.

Pompe Disease - Pipeline Review, H1 2012', provides an overview of the Pompe Disease therapeutic pipeline. This report provides information on the therapeutic development for Pompe Disease, complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Pompe Disease. 'Pompe Disease - Pipeline Review, H1 2012' is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Direct's proprietary databases, Company/University websites, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources, put together by Global Markets Direct's team.

Ergonomic Wheelchair often spend a lot of time leaning on armrests or a table exactly because they are not being supported with good posture in their chairs. This is a matter of seat angle and back angle, adjusting them according to body shape and degree of upper body balance. Poor seating makes slump, trying to get stable. The optimal posture is more upright, allowing spine to support. Ergonomic chairs are designed to confirm to a person's physical dimensions, allowing them to sit naturally and comfortably for long periods of time, while reducing the risk of pressure ulcers. Ergonomic system (Intelligent s-shaped ergonomic seating) provides efficient pressure relief by spreading weight over a greater area, at the same time provides stabilization and reduced sliding. With their lightweight frames and seats designed to reduce or prevent pressure points, ergonomic wheelchairs provide a comfortable option for mobility impaired users who have the upper body strength to propel themselves, or a caregiver strong enough to do so. Karma S Ergo 115 Wheelchair: This model features our S-Shape Seating System and is our number one best seller for many reasons. At a mere 11.3 kg in weight with detachable foot rest and many features such as removable machine washable and dry-able cushions treated by AEIGIS treated anti-microbial coated seating system. Karma S-Ergo 115 Wheelchair Features: Ergonomic Handrims & S-Shape Ergonomic Seating System Fixed armrest w/ wider concave armpads Swing In & Away Footrests Backrest Pouch attached to the upholstery 24" flat free polyurethane tires, high tread, flat free wheels Seat width: 16"x17" or 18"x17" or 20"x 17" Silver 1/4" Aegis Anti-Bacterial Upholstery, washable Folding backrest / folding seat for easy traveling "Tube-in Center" foot-plate, assures better side leg support High strength, starting weight at only 11.3 kg. (w/o footrests) 7×1" Polyurethane front casters Upholstery: Black breathable mesh bottom & t

Karma Ergo Lite 2501 Wheelchair The extremely lightweight Ergo Lite 2501 Transport Wheelchair weighs only 8.16 kg. and features an ergonomically-designed seat and backrest, making it one of the most comfortable transport chairs on the market. The folding seat and backrest make the S-Ergo ideal for storage or travel, and the built in AEGIS anti-bacterial cushion provides added comfort and support. Despite its light weight, the S-Ergo features a 115 kg. weight capacity along with large, 14" flat-free polyurethane rear tires. Karma Ergo Lite 2501 Wheelchair Features Lightest transporter on the market! Patented S-Style Ergonomic Seat Frame 6061 T-6 Aircraft-grade Aluminum Only 18 lb . (w/ footrests) Built in Silver Aegis Anti-bacterial Cushion Fixed Armrests w/Concaved Armpads Pocket Behind Backrest & Small Carry Pouch on Each Armrest 6" x 1" Polyurethane Front Casters 16" x 17" or 18" x 17" Seat Width S-Style Ergonomic Seat 14" Rear Polyurethane, High Tread, Flat Free Wheels 3-Stage handle brake: allows light to firm grip for lock Folding Backrest/ Folding Seat for Transporting in Vehicle or Travel Fixed Footrests w/ Extra Wide Footplates Frame Color: Pearl Silver Weight Capacity of 100 kg Ergonomic Transporter w/ handle brakes Karma Ergo Lite 2501 Wheelchair Measurements Seat Width 16 inch., 18 inch. Seat Depth 17 inch. Armrest Height 8 inch. Seat Height 19 inch. Back Height 17 inch. Overall Height 36 inch. Overall Open Width 23 inch., 25 inch. Folded Width 12 inch. Overall Length 39 inch. Weight Without Riggings 8 kg. Weight Cap 100 kg. Shipping Dimensions 35" L x 30" H x 12" W