Well Pharmacy, one of the UK's leading independent pharmacy chains, has been offering flu vaccinations for free.
The chain says it is concerned as the winter flu season is now in full force, with hospital admissions reaching a peak and flu stats higher than they have been in
recent years.
Recent data shared by NHS England showed that there was an increase in flu cases by nearly 70 per cent leaving many in hospital each week.
Well Pharmacy is worried about those who have yet to have the flu jab and has been urging people to get one for free.
It recognises that only children aged 2-11, people over 50, and those with certain medical conditions are eligible for free NHS jabs, leaving millions who would
normally have to pay for a flu vaccination which usually costs £15.
Research recently undertaken by the chain shows that a quarter of people (25 per cent) think that after so many Covid-19 jabs in the last few years, 'vaccine fatigue'
has led to a perceived lack of motivation in others to get their jabs.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has refused to accept the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)'s decision to get rid of
'transitional payments' from February 2023.
The pharmacy negotiator said that 'any reductions in payments at this point will be impossible for community pharmacy contractors to manage financially.'
"We are also continuing to be clear with officials and ministers that CPCF funding needs an urgent uplift to help businesses to cope with soaring costs being driven
by inflation and the workforce crisis. We put a comprehensive business case to the government for this uplift in the last CPCF negotiations."
The latest 'transitional payments decision' by the Department follows the announcement last year that the value of the these payments would be phased down over the
second half of 2022/23 and will be based on the latest monitoring and analysis of funding delivery.
PSNC says it submitted a fully-costed bid for a 'Pharmacy First' service in its last round of negotiations alongside the case for an uplift to core CPCF funding.
Both of these were refused.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has urged its member - employed pharmacists and locum pharmacists to share their view on UK Commission on Pharmacy
Professional Leadership report.
The four government Chief Pharmacists have published their commission's proposal for how pharmacy leadership may develop in the UK.
The association 'strongly' believes that just as it was the members of the profession that established their previous pharmacist professional leadership bodies, so
it is for pharmacists to determine if they agree with these proposals and to decide what arrangements they want in future.
"As an organisation that has exclusively in its membership the employed and locum pharmacists in the UK, the PDA wants to ensure that it can reflect the views of
frontline pharmacists in any future discussions and decisions that could impact upon their careers.
Pharmacists are encouraged to read the report, to consider its content and then ensure they respond to the forthcoming communication from the PDA."
The commission report says that existing leadership bodies have "relatively low levels of membership" but does not provide details. It has also stated that it has
received submissions to its consultation from many pharmacy organisations.
Dry eye syndrome is incredibly common and prevalence is increasing globally. Studies show that prevalence rates vary from five to 50 per cent but can be as
high as 75 per cent in people over the age of 40, in people who wear contact lenses and those who work with computers. It is more common in women than in men,
particularly during and after the menopause.
According to a new real-world research commissioned by world experts in eye-care, Rohto, more than eight in ten women (83 per cent) indicate that they suffer from
the condition, but only once they have had the symptoms of dry eye syndrome described to them.
Without detailed explanation, 56 per cent of people say they have never even heard of dry eye syndrome, showing just how under diagnosed it may be.
Causes of dry eye
Dry eyes are a clinical cause of eye irritation, fatigue, and discomfort, often causing feelings of itchiness, grittiness, and excess watering. If left untreated,
dry eyes can even lead to long-term damage and sight problems.
Dry eyes may occur if enough tears aren't produced if poor-quality tears are generated or if the tears evaporate from the surface of the eye too quickly. This leads
to poor lubrication of the tear film. In a normal eye, the tear film4- the multilayer moist protective film - covers the cornea and lubricates the eye.
However, if the lubricative process is faulty dry spots appear on the surface of the eye and this causes irritation and discomfort. The tear film has several layers:
fatty oils, aqueous fluid, and mucus. This combination normally keeps the surface of your eyes lubricated, smooth and clear. But problems with any of these layers
can cause dry eyes.
Panadol launched a new purpose-led brand idea as part of a multi-channel campaign across Great Britain and Ireland. With nine out of 10 people suffering
"everyday pain" and 65% of people saying they can't be happy when they are in pain[1], globally, the campaign reiterates the brand's commitment to holistic pain
management by focusing on the acute pain recovery journey.
Rooted in deep consumer understanding, the campaign idea celebrates that never-talked-about moment of realisation when you start to feel the release from pain.
The new brand idea will bring to life the emotional transformation that those suffering from acute pain undergo, emphasising the role that Panadol can play in
alleviating their pain.
The Panadol campaign follows a period of strong sales growth for the brand, outperforming the category's own expansion by more than double[2].
This has been driven by shoppers who are searching for fast and effective pain relief products, such as Panadol's hero variants, including Panadol Extra Advance
Tablets (paracetamol, caffeine), which has seen its growth almost doubled[3], as well as Panadol Advance Tablets (paracetamol) and Panadol Extra Advance Tablets.
Monica Michalopoulou, GBI Marketing Director, said: "After two years of pandemic restrictions, now more than ever, people want to get back to their normal lives
and to the people they love. But with pain preventing many of us from connecting with those we love or from doing the things we enjoy the most, we want to help
consumers by understanding their pain journey and reassuring them on the treatments we can provide. This "Release" moment is so important for pain sufferers, and we hope our new brand campaign can shine a light on the role that Panadol can play in pain relief".
Health authorities in India have said that Biological E's Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax can be administered as a booster dose in people who have taken the
country's other two main shots, Covaxin and AstraZeneca's Covishield, from Friday (Aug 12).
Corbevax will be available to over 18s as precautionary booster six months after a second dose, the health ministry said in an August 8 letter to state authorities.
Covishield is produced for the Indian market by the Serum Institute of India under licence from AstraZeneca, while Bharat Biotech makes Covaxin.
India has so far administered more than 2 billion Covid vaccine shots, including 113 million boosters, all of which have so far been of the same vaccine as the
recipient's first two doses. The government says about 89 per cent of Indians above the age of 12 have had two doses.
Shares in GSK, Sanofi, Haleon and Pfizer began to recover on Friday (Aug 12) after the companies said that nothing material had changed regarding US litigation
focused on heartburn drug Zantac.
The companies' share prices had fallen sharply last week on investor concern about the litigation over potential cancer-causing impurities that prompted the drug's
withdrawal from markets in 2019 and 2020.
More than 2,000 Zantac-related legal cases have been filed in the United States, analysts say, with the first trial beginning this month.
The prospect of impending Zantac litigation is not new. Among other disclosures, recently listed Haleon had highlighted the risk of such lawsuits in its prospectus.
GSK, Sanofi, Pfizer and Haleon have lost a combined $39 billion from their market value over the past week in the absence of any other particular catalyst, according
to Barclays analysts.
Lack of appropriate funding is making survival a massive challenge for community pharmacy, a sector relied upon as a vital support system by both primary and
secondary care in England.
The Telegraph newspaper ran a story on Monday (August 22) which highlighted the dire straits community pharmacy finds itself in. Seasoned pharmacist Ian Strachan
told the paper: "Our four pharmacies were the only point of call that was open (during Covid). We were there every single day, even when the virus was prevalent and
people were dying."
Describing the current situation, he said: "What is happening is we're facing a system that's just not working at all in our favour." Strachan says the issue is that
pharmacists are "just not getting the help we need to be able to do this job properly".
The sector is hugely dependent on funding from the NHS. The government had agreed in 2019 to set £2.6bn as annual funding for the sector. However, according to a
report from EY that amount was already down £200m on the 2016 levels of government funding.
"We've been starved of appropriate funding since 2016," Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies told The Telegraph.
"It looks grim for businesses. The fees pharmacists get are going nowhere, but now, there's higher utility bills, higher staff fees and higher drug costs."
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, the nation's figurehead and a towering presence on the world stage for seven decades, died peacefully
at her home in Scotland on Thursday aged 96.
"The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family," the new king, her eldest son Charles,
said.
"I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world," the 73-year-old said in a
statement.
The news has stunned and deeply saddened community pharmacy in Britain.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) issued a statement to say it "has been very saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty the Queen.
"At this time of national mourning, we join the rest of the country in sending our thoughts and condolences to the royal family."
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, health secretary Steve Barclay stated that he has asked his officials within DHSC to look at a "pharmacy first"
approach to alleviate pressures on A&E departments in order to avoid the widely predicted NHS winter crisis.
On the face of it, this a welcome if long overdue recognition that community pharmacy is an essential part of our national healthcare infrastructure alongside our
GP and A&E colleagues. But let's not get carried away - we have had lots of praise from politicians in the past which have not then been backed by firm commitments
for a sustainable future for the network.
Could this be a turning point? I hope so, but I am not confident it will be. I fear this may turn out to be another emergency stop-gap measure which does nothing to
secure the long-term viability of the sector in England.
The role of community pharmacy during the recent Covid pandemic demonstrated clearly how important we are to ensure people have easy access to essential healthcare
support, advice and services. The NHS winter crisis can only be avoided or at least mitigated if the potential of the community pharmacy network to provide more
patient care services is unlocked and that Barclay requires you to end pharmacy funding austerity and start investing.
The Treasury will no doubt say there is no more money, but what then the alternative other than a NHS winter crisis? And, of course, treating people in secondary care
settings is far more costly than community pharmacy based interventions.
In his maiden speech delivered to community pharmacy since becoming new minister with responsibility for the sector, Will Quince MP said he's determined to be
"your champion" and "voice in government".
Addressing delegates on Wednesday (Oct 12) as chief guest at the 22nd Pharmacy Business Awards in central London, he praised community pharmacy for delivering 25
million Covid-19 vaccines, five million flu jabs, 200 million lateral flow testing kits and millions of medicines throughout the pandemic.
"These local efforts became the national success story," he told over 600 attendees at a gala dinner held at the iconic Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel
overlooking the Houses of Parliament.
'We need you now'
Quince, who was appointed minister of state at the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 September 2022, added: "Just as we needed you in the pandemic, we
need you now," highlighting the vital role of community pharmacy in realising the secretary of state (Thérèse Coffey)'s vision, particularly in regard to her
much talked about 'Plan for Patients'.
The Mentholatum Company is shaking up the dry eye market with a clinically proven, world-leading advanced dry eye relief formulation. Rohto Dry Aid relieves
EIGHT symptoms of dry eye and helps hydrate, protect and restore the tear film.
Elvy Mardjono, senior brand manager for Rohto Dry Aid, says: "Rohto Dry Aid, with its Tearshield Technology™ acts fast, is non-blurry and delivers soothing relief
for up to 12 hours."
Rohto Dry Aid's Tearshield Technology™ formulation is kind to the eyes and designed to mimic the properties of the natural tear film, providing the protection and
hydration required to tackle dry spots and restore all layers of the natural tear film.
Health authorities in India have launched an inquiry into an allegation that a local pharmaceutical regulator, in return for a bribe, helped switch samples of
cough syrups that the World Health Organization (WHO) had linked to the deaths of children in Gambia before the samples were tested at an Indian laboratory,
according to two government officials and documents reviewed by the Reuters news agency.
In an April 29 letter to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Haryana state reviewed by the news agency, a lawyer named Yashpal accused the state's drug controller,
Manmohan Taneja, of taking a bribe of 50 million rupees (£481,600 approx.) from local manufacturer Maiden Pharmaceuticals to help it switch the samples before an
Indian government laboratory tested them. Maiden's factory is based in Haryana state.
Reuters points out that it was unable to independently establish that any bribes were paid.
Taneja did not respond to phone calls, messages or emails seeking comment. Maiden did not respond to requests for comment. The WHO said it had no knowledge of the
allegation.
Yashpal - who like some Indians uses only one name - did not say in the letter where he got the information, or provide evidence for his claim about the syrups made
by Maiden.
Reuters was unable to independently establish that any bribes were paid.
The World Health Organization called for caution on Tuesday (May 16) in using artificial intelligence for public healthcare, saying data used by AI to reach
decisions could be biased or misused.
The WHO said it was enthusiastic about the potential of AI but had concerns over how it will be used to improve access to health information, as a decision-support
tool and to improve diagnostic care.
The WHO said in a statement the data used to train AI may be biased and generate misleading or inaccurate information and the models can be misused to generate
disinformation.
It was "imperative" to assess the risks of using generated large language model tools (LLMs), like ChatGPT, to protect and promote human wellbeing and protect public
health, the U.N. health body said.
Community pharmacies are located within the very hotspots of peoples' communities, yet a staggering 720 individual businesses have stopped trading since 2015.
It has been called a "national disgrace and a betrayal to the elderly and the vulnerable" by sector leaders.
The funding crisis has been compounded by a gruelling 18-24 months post-Covid, both have which have placed immense pressure on the retail pharmacy sector.
The population is aging and with this comes patients living with a range of long-term health conditions. Medication regimes are becoming ever more complex and as a
result, maintaining prescription and medication adherence services is challenging to say the least.
Yet the public feel great warmth towards their local pharmacy businesses, and this positive attitude only increased during the pandemic. In fact, in a recent report
launched by Omnicell on the Changing Role of the Pharmacist, a survey of public opinion found that a third (32 per cent) said they perception of their local
pharmacy had changed for the better since the start of the pandemic and nearly half (44 per cent) said they are more familiar with their local pharmacy services
since the start of COVID.
This has meant that the role of the pharmacist has also changed and evolved; in part due to a national need and drive for more patients to be seen and supported
clinically by pharmacists.
This change of service provider role has slowly been developing over the last couple of years. Pharmacists are currently carrying out 65 million consultations
a year - a staggering rise of 44 per cent in the last 24 months alone.
An experimental Alzheimer's drug developed by Eli Lilly and Co slowed cognitive decline by 35% in a late-stage trial, the company said on Wednesday, providing
what experts say is the strongest evidence yet that removing sticky amyloid plaques from the brain benefits patients with the fatal disease.
Lilly's drug, donanemab, met all goals of the trial, the company said. It slowed progression of Alzheimer's by 35% compared to a placebo in 1,182 people with
early-stage disease whose brains had deposits of two key Alzheimer's proteins, beta amyloid as well as intermediate levels of tau, a protein linked with disease
progression and brain cell death.
The study also evaluated the drug in 552 patients with high levels of tau and found that when both groups were combined, donanemab slowed progression by 29% based
on a commonly used scale of dementia progression known as the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR-SB).
Using that scale, experts said Lilly's findings were roughly on par with Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc's lecanemab, sold under the brand name Leqembi, which reduced
cognitive decline by 27% in patients with early Alzheimer's in a study published last year.
The results drove Lilly's shares to a record high, up more than 6% at $429.85.
Dr. Ronald Petersen, an Alzheimer's researcher at Mayo Clinic, said Lilly's trial is the third to show removing amyloid from the brain slows progression of the
disease, which could put to rest some lingering doubts about the benefits of drugs in the class and the amyloid-lowering theory.
"It's modest, but I think it's real," he said of the benefit, "and I think it's clinically meaningful."
Dr. Erik Musiek, a Washington University neurologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, said the efficacy looks as good or better than lecanemab.
Diabetes drugs that also promote weight loss such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, becoming a darling of celebrities and investors, are being studied to tackle some
of the most difficult-to-treat brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.
Diabetes regimens, from Ozempic to old mainstays like insulin and metformin, appear to address several different aspects of the metabolic system implicated in
Alzheimer's disease, including a protein called amyloid and inflammation, researchers say.
The hope is that improving glucose utilisation and tamping down inflammation in the entire body - including the brain - could slow progression of debilitating
diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Several scientists interviewed by Reuters news agency pointed to mounting research supporting testing diabetes drugs against neurodegenerative diseases.
Results are years away and success uncertain. But interest has been buoyed by recent positive data on Alzheimer's drugs developed by Eisai with partner Biogen and
by Eli Lilly demonstrating that removing sticky amyloid plaques accumulated in the brain can slow cognition decline caused by the fatal mind-wasting disease.
Those successes followed decades of futility that had left many questioning the validity of the amyloid theory behind most experimental Alzheimer's drugs.
Pfizer's plan to sell its Haleon stake is not a surprise, the consumer health company's finance chief Tobias Hestler told Reuters on Wednesday (3 May).
London-listed Haleon was carved out as an independent company in July and comprises consumer health assets once owned by GSK and Pfizer.
Pfizer, which has a 32% stake in the maker of Sensodyne toothpaste and Panadol painkillers, told the Financial Times on Tuesday that it intends to offload that stake
in a "slow and methodical" manner within months.
Hestler said Pfizer has long been clear about its intention to sell off the stake, suggesting that the reason the potential of the selloff has gained traction is
because the selling window opens around the time that Haleon's results are announced.
"This will happen every quarter from now until they're sold off…this is just what's expected," he said, adding: "If I get a courtesy call the evening before they
do it then that would be nice, but they don't even have to do that."
Shares of the world's biggest standalone consumer health business were down more than 3% in early trading.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) to host a Parliamentary drop-in event in July to brief MPs and Peers about the ongoing medicines supply chain issues that
are negatively affecting pharmacies and their patients across the country.
CPE's Pressures Survey earlier this year highlighted the extent of both the operational and financial impacts of medicines supply issues on pharmacy businesses,
therefore it has continued to hear from both pharmacy owners and others about the problems.
The event aims to ensure that MPs understand the problems and their impact on pharmacies.
Peter Dowd MP is hosting the event, joined by representatives from Community Pharmacy England, the Nuffield Trust, patient groups and more.
The event will also be another opportunity to talk to MPs from across the political spectrum about the very serious situation that community pharmacies still find
themselves in and the need for further investment in the sector.
Janet Morrison OBE, Chief executive of Community Pharmacy England said: "The results of our Pressures Survey earlier this year showed just how much supply issues
are continuing to negatively impact pharmacy businesses and all those who work in them. The survey found that almost all pharmacy owners (97%) are facing
significant increases in wholesaler and medicine supply issues, with 71% saying this was leading to delays in prescriptions being issued.
Charac, an NHS-integrated one-stop platform for independent community pharmacies, has secured £1 million strategic investment from the Royal Mail Group,
enabling its time-saving platform to assist more local pharmacies and patients across the UK to easily manage their prescriptions and consultations online.
The company said this new money will enable it to leverage strong levels of trust that pharmacists enjoy within the communities they serve in and will ensure
pharmacies remain a cornerstone of vibrant high streets and an invaluable provider of frontline healthcare products and services, including vitally needed
consultations.
Charac says it is aiming to sign up over 1,000 UK pharmacies in the next 12 months by expanding its geographic footprint beyond current cities, including London,
Manchester and Birmingham, and targeting small multiple and independent pharmacies, accounting for almost 40 per cent of the UK's community pharmacy network.
The announcement also sees the addition of Stefan Kulik, a managing director at Royal Mail, to the Charac board. Stefan is responsible for leading Royal Mail's
expansion into the healthcare industry and brings a breadth of experience, having previously worked in healthcare with companies including Johnson & Johnson.
