The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised booster vaccination to be offered this autumn (2023) for those at higher risk of severe
Covid-19 in its interim advice to government on the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme for 2023.
The JCVI also advised that for a smaller group of people, such as those who are older and those who are immunosuppressed, an extra booster vaccine dose in the spring
should also be planned for.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of Covid-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said: "The Covid-19 vaccination programme continues to reduce severe disease across the population,
while helping to protect the NHS.
That is why we have advised planning for further booster vaccines for persons at higher risk of serious illness through an autumn booster programme later this year.
We will very shortly also provide final advice on a spring booster programme for those at greatest risk."
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has published the Drug Tariff Category M price list for July which reflects an increase in reimbursement
level of approximately £5m per quarter.
An adjustment of -£23.8m was announced, in light of the results of the margin survey (latest result up until end of December 2022), and the phasing down of the
additional £100m agreed across years 4 and 5 as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework and uplifts for underlying market prices
(between January - March 2023).
Community Pharmacy England has agreed the adjustments based on the analysis of margin delivery and on current projections for 2023/24.
It said: "The objectives are to ensure full delivery of agreed margin and smooth delivery as much as possible. As always, the impact on individual pharmacies
will vary depending on dispensing mix."
Scientists Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman from Hungary and the United States respectively won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for
discoveries enabling the development of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the award-giving body said on Monday.
The prize, among the most prestigious in the scientific world, is selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden's Karolinska Institute medical university and also
comes with 11 million Swedish crowns (about £823,500).
"The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications
that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19," the body said.
Kariko was senior vice president and head of RNA protein replacement at BioNTech until 2022 and has since acted as an adviser to the company. She is also a professor
at the University of Szeged in Hungary and adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
Weissman is professor in vaccine research at the Perelman School.
Speaking at the SIGMA Conference 2023, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp), spoke about the increasing
number of prescriptions, lack of funding and other existing challenges.
Leyla explained how the pharmacy sector is facing immense challenges which are disrupting the delivery of services as well as impacting its growth.
She further spoke about the hub and spoke model, and how it is unable to solve the issues.
"Community pharmacies are clogged with prescription volume, and this is preventing them from supporting the wider NHS as well as offering services," she said.
She said that the prescription volumes have rocketed, while the number of pharmacies in England has declined from 11, 522 in the year 2021-22 to 11, 414 in 2022-23.
When it comes to Company Chemists' Association (CCA) pharmacies, there has been a loss of 1055 branches from 2022 to 2023.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for three tablets- Meptazinol (Meptid) 200mg film-coated tablets,
Medroxyprogesterone (Provera) 2.5mg tablets and Lamotrigine 5mg dispersible tablets on Wednesday (15 February).
Meptid tablets will remain out of stock until late June 2023. DHSC suggested that an alternative analgesic products including non-opioids remain available.
Provera 2.5mg tablets are out of stock until mid-March 2023. "Medroxyprogesterone (Provera) 5mg and 10mg tablets remain available but cannot support an uplift in
demand," said DHSC.
"Norethisterone 5mg tablets remain available and will be able to support an increase in demand."
Branded lamotrigine (Lamictal) 2mg and 5mg dispersible remain available but are unable to support the increase in demand as Lamotrigine 5mg dispersible tablets
are out of stock until late March 2023.
Department of Health of Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed that the Dexcom One Transmitter will be added to Part IXA of the March 2023 Drug Tariff.
"Previously, patients were advised to obtain the free-of-charge Dexcom One transmitters directly from the pharmacies, without a prescription, as the original
Drug Tariff application for the transmitter was unsuccessful," said the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC)
It has raised concerns with DHSC and Dexcom that these distribution arrangements for transmitters are unacceptable because they result in extra unfunded activity
for community pharmacies.
Both, DHSC and Dexcom acted upon these concerns by agreeing to add the Dexcom One transmitter to the Drug Tariff from March 2023. At the same time, Dexcom One CGM
System (containing 1 sensor, 1 sensor applicator, 1 transmitter) will also be added to the March Drug Tariff.
National pharmacy bodies have expressed their disappointment on the launch date for Tier 1 of the Pharmacy Contraception Service which has been announced by
NHS England (NHSE) as '24th April 2023′.
Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) said that this start date for the service has not been agreed with PSNC and is in direct contradiction of our
warning to Ministers that no new or expanded services can be rolled out in 2023/24 unless extra funding is put into community pharmacies.
Responding to this announcement, PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison said: "This is despite our warning last month that without additional funding, the roll-out of
Year 5 additional services and the Pharmacy Quality Scheme is neither feasible nor affordable. Community pharmacies are having to work harder and harder for less
money and many are at breaking point. And just this week the results of our 2023 Pharmacy Pressures Survey have confirmed the worsening situation.
Clearly our view is not because contractors don't see the benefit of the service. This is a much-anticipated service that could deliver real benefits to patients and
community pharmacies are always eager to support public health initiatives. But capacity in the sector is now so stretched that more money is needed to safely
resource additional work.
We have repeated our concerns to the Department in recent days and reminded them of the potential for a properly funded community pharmacy sector to play a greater
role in providing clinical solutions and relieving pressures elsewhere in primary care."
A new report, published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), has revealed worrying statistics about the mental health of children and young people
in England.
The report is based on NHS survey on Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023, which showed that one in five children and young individuals
aged eight to 25 were grappling with probable mental disorders.
The report highlighted that 20.3 per cent of eight to 16-year-olds showed signs of mental distress in 2023. Among 17 to 19-year-olds, the proportion rose to
23.3 per cent, while in 20 to 25-year-olds, it stood at 21.7 per cent.
The rates of probable mental disorders were similar for boys and girls, while for 17- to 25-year-olds, rates were twice as high for young women than young men.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on Thursday regarding falsified semaglutide medications used for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity
in select countries.
This WHO Medical Product Alert addresses three falsified batches of the specific brand Ozempic that were detected in Brazil (October 2023), the United Kingdom
and Northern Ireland (October 2023), and the United States (December 2023). These falsified semaglutide products were distributed through the regulated supply chain.
Novo Nordisk, the genuine manufacturer of Ozempic, confirmed that the three products mentioned in the alert are falsified and were not produced by the company.
Healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities and the public are advised to remain vigilant regarding these falsified batches of medicines.
Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, urged stakeholders to stop any usage of suspicious medicines and
report them to relevant authorities.
HayMax, manufacturer of organic, drug-free allergen barrier balms for hay fever, dust, and pet allergies, has recently won the 2023 Global 100 awards. The
HayMax balm, applied around nostril rims and eye bones, is an innovative allergen blocker against pollen, dust, and pet allergens entering the body.
Independent university research confirms it traps over a third of pollen, along with dust mites and pet dander, before they enter the body, according to HayMax.
The drug-free balm is Soil Association-certified organic, comprising 100 per cent natural ingredients. Safe for children, pregnant, and breastfeeding women, it
holds the Vegetarian Society Approved trademark.
This award has come as a complete surprise to us at HayMax," said HayMax MD, Max Wiseberg. "Being held in such high regard through this global recognition is truly
delightful."
"The Global 100 aims to offer readers insight into firms that excel in their chosen specialties, and the award underscores hard work and innovation of various
companies," said its organisers.
Pharmacy Business will be hosting their annual awards event in the pharmacy calendar with a glittering ceremony to celebrate the very best of community pharmacy.
The 23rd edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards will be on Wednesday 4 October 2023 in central London.
The awards attract the biggest names in pharmacy, with heads of pharmacy organisations, CEOs of leading manufacturers and wholesalers, health officials and
government ministers in attendance.
We look forward to bringing together the shining lights of community pharmacy, who show the nation the unique services they continue to provide.
REASONS TO ATTEND
Understand what the ambitions of the NHS and PSNC are for the future of community pharmacy
Understand why its important to develop a wider range of health services
Learn how others are achieving this and what the benefits can be
Learn what the benefits of embracing technological innovations are
Hear what others are doing and what the benefits are to their business
Network with and learn from your peers in community pharmacy
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Pharmacy owners
Pharmacy managers
Other pharmacy stakeholders
Exciting news! Pharmacy Business Awards 2023 are just around the corner!
The latest inspection report of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) revealed that nine pharmacies did not meet their standards out of 52 pharmacies that
were inspected between January 2023 and May 2023.
Pharmacies are inspected on five principles - Governance, Staff, Premises, Services including medicines management and Equipment and facilities. Out of nine, eight
pharmacies did not meet GPhC standard of governance which is defined to safeguard the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public.
Six pharmacies did not meet the GPhC standard of principle four which defines the way in which pharmacy services, including the management of medicines and medical
devices, are delivered safeguards the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public.
The purpose of these standards is to create and maintain the right environment, both organisational and physical, for the safe and effective practice of pharmacy.
The standards apply to all pharmacies registered with GPhC.
NHS England has urged the pharmacy owners to continue to voluntarily submit New Medicine Service (NMS) quarterly summary data to the NHS Business Services
Authority (NHSBSA) for Quarter 4 (Q4) 2022/23 (January to March 2023).
Community Pharmacy England have agreed with NHS England that the quarterly returns will continue to be on a voluntary basis, with Q4 (January to March 2023) as the
second quarter to be reported.
It has thanked all the members that submitted NMS quarterly summary data for Quarter 3.
The mandatory requirement to submit this data has been suspended since 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"NHS England wants to continue collection of the quarterly returns to provide baseline data to support a long-term evaluation that will be conducted as part of
ongoing work to expand the scope of NMS," said Community Pharmacy England.
Voluntary submissions can be made via the NHSBSA website, where an updated reporting spreadsheet is also available for head offices to use who are able to submit
data on behalf of multiple pharmacies.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has launched Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2023 to make case against the 'unprecedented financial and
operational challenges' faced by the community pharmacies in England.
The Committee has urged those working in or owns a community pharmacy to 'take part' in the survey.
"The survey results will be critical to help us to show Government and the NHS how difficult things now are for pharmacies, and to persuade them to take action. We
will be using the results in our negotiations, in our conversations with MPs, Ministers and in national media work as part of the joint #saveourpharmacies campaign,"
said PSNC.
The Pharmacy Pressures Survey is once again comprised of two surveys to give insight into both financial and operational pressures.
Together with the other national pharmacy organisations PSNC are working both to show policy makers the severity of the problems and to lobby for Government and NHS
action to ease the pressures.
The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) has published a positioning paper which sets out the objectives that need to be delivered through the
next Voluntary Pricing and Access Scheme (VPAS) on Thursday (15 June).
The paper details how a financially sustainable VPAS can support widened medicines access to patients.
VPAS is an agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
The scheme aims to limit increases in spending on branded medicines to no more than 2% per year via a rebate system which is charged on companies' sales revenues.
Two years ago, the rate was 5.1% but for 2023 it has soared to 26.5%. Last year, the association had raised concerns over the rise in the VPAS rate for 2023 to
26.5 per cent.
"The rocketing rate is in large part due to the growth in spend in on-patent medicines since 2019. Looking at the four completed years of the current VPAS scheme,
data shows that the average annual growth rate for on-patent medicine sales value from 2019-22 was 18% compared to just 2% for off-patent products," said the
association.
Join us at the 23rd edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, in central London. This prestigious event honors
the very best of community pharmacy, attracting industry leaders, heads of organizations, and government officials. Showcasing the unique services provided by
community pharmacies, submit your entries by July 7, 2023, for a chance to be recognized in one of our award categories. Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate
excellence in pharmacy and make your mark in the industry.
The NHS has made major improvements across long waits, urgent and emergency services, and cancer care, latest performance figures published on Thursday (11)
have shown.
The number of patients waiting more than 18 months fell to 10,737 by April - down by more than 90 per cent from 124,911 in September 2021 and by more than four-fifths
since the start of January when there were 54,882.
Around half of NHS trusts in England have no patients on their elective care waiting lists apart from those who have chosen to wait longer. More than one in
five (21%) trusts had completely eliminated 18-month waits.
However, the overall waiting list has risen to over 7.3 million entries in England.
"I promised I would cut NHS waiting lists and we are delivering," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. "Reducing 18-month waits by over 90 per cent is huge progress,
and it is testament to the hard work of NHS staff who have achieved this despite one of the busiest winters on record.
"We still have work to do, but backed by record government investment and the ongoing efforts of the NHS, I am confident we will get patients the care they need
more quickly."
Ambulance response rates have improved to their fastest in two years, with average category two response times now at 28.5 minutes and category one at 8 mins.
The 62-day cancer backlog has fallen for the first time since before the pandemic, with those waiting two months or more down from 21,823 at the end of the last
financial year (March 2022) to 19,248 at the end of this March (2023). This is down almost 15,000 from a peak of 34,000 in July 2022.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will jointly launch a new study to gather data on COVID-19 this winter.
The Winter COVID-19 Infection Study (WCIS) will run from November 2023 to March 2024, involving up to 200,000 participants, UKHSA has said on Monday (October 2).
UKHSA previously commissioned the Coronavirus Infection Survey (CIS), conducted by the ONS in collaboration with scientific study leaders from Oxford University,
analysing more than 11.5 million swab tests and 3 million blood tests from April 2020 to March 2023.
Meanwhile, the Winter CIS study involves conducting up to 32,000 lateral flow tests weekly, providing vital insights into COVID-19 prevalence in the broader
community. The sample will be structured to broadly reflect key population characteristics.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has updated the final price concessions for June 2023, following a discussion by Community Pharmacy England
regarding medicine pricing issues reported by pharmacy owners (its members).
A price concession only applies for the month it is granted; any prices agreed for concessions requested late in the month will roll over into the following month.
Community Pharmacy England encouraged pharmacies to report any problems obtaining a Part VIII product at or below the stated Drug Tariff price, using the online
feedback form on the Community Pharmacy England website along with full details of the supplier and price paid for any products sourced above the Drug Tariff price.
The association will investigate the extent of the problem and, if appropriate, discuss the issue with DHSC.
Johnson & Johnson has made it to the list of top 10 most innovative companies in the world released by FOREX.com.
The US-based pharmaceutical company is the fourth most innovative company, scoring 8.23/10 in the innovation index.
Johnson & Johnson is the only pharmaceutical company making it to top 10 list, which makes it the world's most innovative pharmaceutical company in 2023.
The ranking is based on many factors such as the number of US-registered patents in 2022, the number of R&D expenses over the last 12 consecutive months and
their last reported intangible assets.
The health giant spent £37.16 billion on intangible assets (the second highest after Apple), £11.87 billion on R&D last year and registered 1,377 patents last year.
