Assuming that roughly 70% of our body's immune cells are found in the gut, dietary ingredients that stimulate healthy gut bacteria may, in turn, help support the immune system. Prebiotics are non-digestible foodstuff that is consumed by health-promoting bacteria. Simply put, the beneficial bacteria in our gut can "ingest" various plant elements that can improve their growth. A recent study examined the effects of curcumin and turmeric supplementation on gut bacteria. Volunteers in the study received curcumin, turmeric, or placebo supplements for constantly eight weeks and then had their gut bacteria investigated. This study showed that while the placebo group had declines in gut flora species, curcumin and turmeric-supplemented groups experienced increases in many gut bacterial species. If more research proves curcumin's prebiotic-like impacts, curcumin can become a compound used to sustain both gut and immune health.
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.
Jeremy Meader has resigned as managing director of Numark after five years on the job, and having lead the wider PHOENIX group's sales and marketing teams for
about eight years.
A press release issued on Wednesday (February 1) said Mr Meader "has decided to leave the business to pursue his career outside of the PHOENIX group", the owner of
Numark.
It said: "PHOENIX thanks Jeremy for his commitment and dedication over the years and wishes him all the best for his professional and private future."
Previous to joining PHOENIX, Mr Meader was head of sales at Alliance Healthcare, a role he took up in 2012 after serving GSK's Consumer Healthcare division for over
13 years in various capacity.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, India's largest drugmaker by revenue, reported a better-than-expected 5.2 per cent rise in third-quarter profit on Tuesday,
driven by higher sales of its specialty drugs.
The company, known for its consumer healthcare products such as Revital vitamins and pain relief medicine Volini, said it earned a consolidated net profit of 21.66
billion rupees ($265.23 million) in three months ended Dec. 31, up from 20.59 billion rupees last year.
Analysts, on average, had expected the company to report a profit of 21.26 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data.
Total revenue from operations climbed nearly 14 per cent to 112.41 billion rupees. Input costs rose 8.5 per cent. Drug sales in India rose 7.1 per cent to 33.92
billion rupees, whereas sales in the United States climbed 16.6 per cent to 34.66 billion rupees, with each of the two regions accounting for 31 per cent of the
company's total consolidated sales.
The company, founded in 1983, makes over-the-counter medications, anti-retrovirals and active pharmaceutical ingredients for chronic and acute treatments.
Rowlands Pharmacy has joined hands with healthcare software company HasHealth for an enhanced digital proposition to facilitate seamless delivery of a raft of
clinical services including flu and travel vaccinations.
The new system is now available across 400 Rowlands pharmacies across the UK.
The partnership comes as Rowlands Pharmacy strives to provide patients with a seamless booking experience whilst minimising time-consuming administration for pharmacy
staff, with its waiting list, medical pre-screen questionnaires and resource management capabilities, the company said in a statement.
HasHealth offers a virtual healthcare software solution that allows community pharmacies to schedule, manage, and communicate with patients easily online. It combines
its cutting-edge video technology with booking and management software, which can be adapted to any clinical service.
Nigel Swift, managing director at Rowlands Pharmacy, commented: "We pride ourselves on listening to our staff, based on feedback we knew we could do better with our
digital proposition for clinical services and flu vaccinations in particular.
Boots has expanded its partnership with Deliveroo to cover 125 stores in the UK, offering delivery of a wide range of health and beauty products up and down
the country.
The company announced last year that it had entered into an exclusive partnership with Deliveroo to provide 400 plus health and beauty products to consumers at their
doorsteps.
The pharmacy multiple has been delivering over-the-counter cough, cold and flu symptom relief products, paracetamol, vitamins and digital thermometers through
Deliveroo.
The partnership has been part of the business' continued investment in digital technology to provide customers with a more convenient and personal shopping experience.
Popular and new products available on Deliveroo include cough, cold and flu symptom relief products, paracetamol, vitamins, digital thermometers, period and sexual
wellbeing products including sanitary towels, condoms and pregnancy tests among other health and beauty products.
Boots is now available via Deliveroo for the first time to customers in major cities including Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, Bristol, Sheffield, Coventry, Plymouth,
Exeter, Middlesbrough, York, Aberdeen and Inverness.
In a mutual agreement with the STADA board, Roger Scarlett-Smith has stepped down from his role as head of UK.
The company has assigned the responsibility of UK operation to Rudolf Bär with current responsibilities as cluster head for Mid-Sized European Markets.
Scarlett-Smith joined STADA in October 2018 to lead the UK operation upon the retirement of Dieno George. Prior to this, he had enjoyed an illustrious career in
the Consumer Healthcare sector, largely with GlaxoSmithKline, for which he held positions including as President North America, President EMEA and Head of Global
Categories.
Under his leadership, the STADA UK business has grown sales by 50 per cent and profitability has more than doubled. He has reshaped the business to improve efficiency.
There has been a marked acceleration of product innovation including key line extensions to the Zoflora disinfectant range as well as the introduction of a
salmeterol and fluticasone inhaler in the Rx respiratory sector. Meanwhile, T+R has developed a fine reputation regionally, being voted number 1 regional company
last year and winning many national industry awards.
New GSK raised its 2022 forecast for the second time this year, after third-quarter earnings and sales topped estimates, continuing its strong start as a
standalone prescription medicine and vaccine business since carving out its consumer health division Haleon.
After years of underperformance relative to its peers and missing out on the lucrative market for the first set of COVID-19 vaccines, GSK has delivered a string of
strong results.
The latest is led by a record quarter for its blockbuster shingles vaccine Shingrix and higher-than-expected revenue from its COVID therapy, Xevudy.
Having survived a revolt by activist investors Elliott and Bluebell last year, GSK's prospects have been boosted by clinical trial success, though concerns remain
around U.S. litigation over heartburn drug Zantac.
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in the United States against a raft of drugmakers over allegations the heartburn drug contains a probable carcinogen.
Whether you believe it or not, following a vegan diet can be quite eventful for your body. For instance, it can help you lose weight, get a better body
structure, and so on.
However, is that all? You can get that by following a thorough exercise plan as well, no?
Well, yes, you can. Nevertheless, following a vegan diet plan can help you out in more than a single manner. Please keep reading this article till the end to know
more about it.
WHAT IS A VEGAN DIET?
As a vegan, you can eat dairy food, including cheese and milk, without any boundaries. If you want to get a little bit of protein, you may consume eggs (boiled or
in a gravy) too. Also, yes, plants are going to be an integral part of your diet plan too.
However, you won't be able to eat meat anymore. So, no chicken, mutton, or beef for the rest of your life. Instead, you will need to focus solely on plant-based
protein.
BENEFITS OF FOLLOWING A VEGAN DIET
A plant-based diet structure can be highly beneficial for your health. For example, it can -
LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE.
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, can increase your risk of a heart attack. It's also known to be a close counterpart of type-2 diabetes too.
Fortunately, though, the diet you follow can make quite a massive difference here. For example, following a vegan diet can help you reduce the amount of oily food
you're taking on a daily basis.
This, in turn, can decrease the amount of cholesterol in your blood and make it easier for you to lose weight. And, the less obese you are, the lower your blood
pressure will be.
In the UK, many people with nonoptimal diets are at risk of nutrient deficiencies, as they receive less than the recommended intakes of several key vitamins
and minerals, which can impact overall health.
Dietary supplements can be one method of treating a deficiency. Dietary supplements like vitamins, antioxidants, fibre, and amino acids are sold in pharmacies across
the world, and it is estimated that half of UK adults use at least one dietary supplement per day.
Combined with an increased popularity in vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan and flexitarian diets, there's a chance patients are not consuming enough vital vitamins and
minerals.
If you think a patient's diet may be lacking in some of the important nutrients our bodies need to function properly, the advice below will provide more information
about five of the most common nutrient deficiencies, and where to find these nutrients from easily accessible and plant based sources.
1. Omega-3
Essential fatty acids come in two forms; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and are both sources of energy and play key roles in the
development of cell membrane structures.
They also play a role in protecting against a variety of diseases and regulating blood pressure and inflammation. DHA is an important component of neurons and
healthy nervous systems.
Traditionally, seafood, red meat and dairy products have been touted as the main dietary sources of EPA and DHA. Although EPA and DHA can be difficult to source
from plant based foods, ALA - the most common fatty acid - is found in plant based foods and can be converted into long chain omega-3s EPA and DHA.
Pharmacists, politicians, faith and community leaders paid tribute to Parvatiben Solanki, the co-founder of the Asian Media Group (AMG), publishers of Pharmacy
Business magazine. Mrs Solanki passed away in London last Thursday (September 8). She was 86.
Along with her husband, the late Ramniklal Solanki CBE, Mrs Solanki played a key role in establishing AMG as one of Britain's largest Asian publishing houses.
They began the business in April 1968, producing the flagship title, Garavi Gujarat, from their terraced house in Wembley, north London.
Today AMG publishes a range of trade and consumer titles, including Pharmacy Business, Asian Trader, Garavi Gujarat and Eastern Eye, in addition to hosting gala
awards dinners. AMG has offices in the UK, US and India, and also publishes titles in the United States.
Many of us know that oral health plays a hugely important role in our general health and wellbeing. We're continuing to see a rise of cosmetic dentistry
such as veneers and teeth whitening[1] but fundamentally, it shouldn't be forgotten that oral health encompasses so much more than aesthetics. Our diets,
the oral hygiene products we are using, and our brushing techniques are all elements that impact our oral health.
It's been hard to miss in the news that there is a dental crisis in the UK, with 'dental deserts' leaving some areas with over 3,000 patients for every NHS
dentist[2]. With oral health being of such importance to our overall health[3], it's only reiterated to us at Haleon that we must continue to promote access
to dental care and understanding of better dental health.
As I've mentioned in previous articles for Pharmacy Business, an understanding of preventative, self-care is hugely beneficial, not just to improve health
inclusivity but to help reduce these current burdens on both healthcare and dentistry professionals. We know that at Haleon, we, and the consumer healthcare
industry as a whole, have a responsibility to empower people to equip themselves with the tools and information to participate in their own and loved ones'
health - and dental health is such an important part of that.
American healthcare technology company Omnicell has appointed Edward Platt as the new Senior Commercial Director of its UK community pharmacy division.
Along with this new role, Edward, who joined Omnicell in 2015, will continue his current leadership remit for Omnicell's UK & Ireland hospital division.
He will be leading a revamped commercial team, which would be responsible for increasing Omnicell's footprint of automation and consumable solutions delivered into
UK community pharmacies.
As part of the revamp, the company has created dedicated specialist teams to ensure the needs and challenges of community pharmacists (small independents and small
multiple operators) can be fully understood and supported.
The American healthcare company, CVS Health, has decided to remove the cold and cough pills containing phenylephrine from the drug stores.
The following decision comes after the health regulator, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determines the decongestant is ineffective towards flu if
taken orally.
However, when ingested in pill or tablet form, this ingredient fails to reach its destination from the stomach to the nasal passages.
CVS Health spokesperson told USA Today, "We are removing a small number of oral decongestant products that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient
from CVS Pharmacy stores but will continue offering many other oral cough and cold products to meet consumer needs."
They almost run more than 9,000 stores in the US whereas their rival, Walgreens has not yet taken the step to remove over-the-counter medications from their shelves.
Proprietary Association of Great Britain, PAGB - which represents manufacturers of branded over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, self-care medical devices
and food supplements - on Tuesday (12 December) celebrated 40 years of reclassification of medicines.
Expanding self-care for common ailments and minor injuries will not only help ease pressure on primary care services, but also provides significant potential
savings for the NHS, the consumer healthcare association highlighted during the event.
Nurofen (ibuprofen) and Imodium (loperamide) were the first medicines to go through Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)'s switch process
in 1983 to make them available over the counter - OTC.
Other reclassified medicines which were once available on prescription only include Voltarol (diclofenac dimethylammonium), Canesten (clotrimazole), Nexium
(esomeprazole), Nicorette, Nicotinell and Niquitin (nicotine replacement therapies), Regaine (minoxidil), Viagra Connect (sildenafil), Cialis Together
(tadalafil) for erectile dysfunction and Gina (estradiol hemihydrate) for the treatment of postmenopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness.
Nexium Control, the UK's number one selling heartburn product for 24-hour protection1, has commissioned research to explore consumer attitudes to heartburn
awareness of the different products on the market in Great Britain and Ireland (1,500 UK and 500 IE respondents). The research found that 53% of respondents
usually opt for short-acting treatments to heartburn2, despite longer-acting products being able to provide relief over a 24-hour period.
The research from Nexium Control revealed that 54% of people surveyed wished there was a product that managed symptoms for longer3, with 55% of respondents
agreeing that short-acting treatments only last a maximum of five hours4. To help their patients understand there are longer-acting options available,
pharmacists can provide information and guidance on treatments, such as proton pump inhibitors like Nexium Control.
Shorter-acting products, which shoppers often reach for, work by either neutralising the acid already in the stomach or by forming a layer that floats to the
top of the stomach, stopping acid rising into the food pipe. Double action treatments which utilise both methods are also available. Containing esomeprazole,
Nexium Control reduces the production of stomach acid for up to 24-hour protection with just one pill, treating the cause and symptoms of heartburn - allowing
time for the oesophagus to recover from the acid irritation.
GlaxoSmithKline on Tuesday (May 31) snapped up US biopharmaceutical firm Affinivax for up to $3.3 billion, expanding further into vaccines before the demerger of its consumer health care arm.
The London-listed company has agreed to pay $2.1 billion upfront and up to $1.2 billion in potential development milestones for Affinivax.
"GSK plc today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Affinivax, Inc," it said in a statement.
"Affinivax is pioneering the development of a novel class of vaccines, the most advanced of which are next-generation pneumococcal vaccines," it added.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based firm specialises in vaccines for diseases including meningitis, pneumonia and bloodstream infections.
"The proposed acquisition further strengthens our vaccines research and development (R&D) pipeline, provides access to a new, potentially disruptive technology, and broadens GSK's existing scientific footprint in the Boston area," said GSK's chief scientific officer Hal Barron.
Britain's GlaxoSmithKline will receive $1.25 billion (about £921 million) from Gilead Sciences as part of a settlement between its HIV medicines unit and the
US-based drugmaker, ending a long-drawn patent dispute.
The settlement, announced by GSK on Tuesday (February 1), relates to Gilead's antiretroviral drug Biktarvy, a medicine used to check the AIDS-causing virus, which
GSK said in 2018 infringed on its unit ViiV Healthcare's dolutegravir and other similar compounds.
HIV medicines developed by ViiV, in which Pfizer and Japan's Shionogi also hold small stakes, are a major part of GSK's plan to support its lagging pharmaceuticals business as it readies to spin off its consumer healthcare arm.
The payment is expected to be made in the first quarter this year, London-listed GSK said. Gilead will also pay a 3 per cent royalty until 2027 on sales of Biktarvy and on future US sales of any product containing its main component.
