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"I dread the day, the accountant turns to me and says 'this isn't working' - as an owner, we shelter our patients and teams from the financial pressures we feel on a daily basis," shares S.G Barai Pharmacy owner, Reena Barai. Today, S.G Barai Pharmacy in Sutton, Surrey joined pharmacies nationwide in the #SaveOurPharmacies day of action, organised by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) to spotlight the critical funding crisis facing community pharmacies across the UK. Recent figures reveal that over the past decade, more than 1,400 pharmacies have closed in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with additional closures looming in Scotland due to financial pressures. The NPA reports that three-quarters of pharmacies are operating at a loss, exacerbated by real-terms cuts to funding. "We turned our lights off and wore black today to symbolize the precarious situation pharmacies like ours are facing," said Reena Barai who owns the pharmacy.

The One Show on BBC One has put community pharmacy in the limelight, showcasing the sector's vital work during the pandemic to a primetime TV audience. The five minute segment, aired on May 10, featured Sutton pharmacist Reena Barai and a reception at St. James's Palace for around 200 pharmacists, including Barai, hosted by the Prince of Wales on May 4. "It was great to be part of such a positive story," Barai, who is a board member of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), said. "It's heartening that the national media are taking notice of the sector, because it's too often overlooked. Coverage like this both reflects public opinion and shapes it, that's why the NPA works so hard on keeping us in the public eye." The segment told the story of community pharmacy's role during the pandemic and contained footage of a speech by the Prince of Wales, praising the sector for its contribution to the nation's healthcare. "Pharmacists are about people and places, not just pills, a place where science, as it were, meets society. I just want to thank you all, more than I can possibly say, for everything you do so brilliantly to keep people well, and above all, save lives. Thank you, everybody," Prince Charles is seen saying at the reception.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the port of Cincinnati seized two unapproved shipments of weight loss drugs, including one from a UK pharmacy, last month. On 5 October, CBP officers seized a shipment declared as "cosmetic weight loss product" and found containing Mounjaro injectable pens of multiple doses (2.5mg, 5mg, and 7mg). The shipment, arriving from a UK pharmacy and heading to a residence in Ohio, violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection report. Cincinnati CBP officers on 14 October intercepted another shipment, which was also destined for an Ohio residence. This shipment from Hong Kong contained 20 vials of Semaglutide 10 mg and 150 Tirzepatide 30 mg, with a domestic value of $45,450. LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations-Chicago, stated that seizures involving these types of unapproved medications are a common occurrence that her officers see on a regular basis.

A new and recent scientific publication suggests that everyone should focus more attention on building mental capital and well being along the life course. If you are engaged in variety of activities, it will last for life long.