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'.
Boots has partnered with Uber Eats to deliver beauty essentials and healthcare products to customers' doors in 30 minutes.
Medicines for minor ailments such as coughs, colds, hay fever, mild pain, rashes as well as COVID-19 test kits can be ordered through Uber Eats.
Boots is partnering with the doorstep delivery company with a pilot in 14 of its stores around the UK, with 13 of those stores giving customers within range
access to third-party doorstep delivery of Boots products for the very first time.
Uber Eats customers within range of participating Boots stores can choose from more than 900 products available for delivery straight to their homes or workplace,
including toiletries, medicines for minor ailments, food and drink options, and best-selling beauty and gifting options perfect for a last-minute gift or treat.
Paula Bobbett, Chief Digital Officer at Boots said: "We are hugely excited to be launching our partnership with Uber Eats. As the first health and beauty retailer
on its platform, we can offer an extensive range of product options to customers for delivery straight to their door. Whether it's medicines for mild illnesses or
last-minute gifts, beauty items or top-ups of a favourite skincare brand, we can meet all our customers' needs both quickly and conveniently."
The new board of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has adopted 10 principles for transforming the contractual framework in England.
The board met for the first time in April, believes that the current Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework is failing NPA members, the wider sector, the NHS,
Government and patients.
The association's new vice chair, Jay Badenhorst, said: "We can't wait until the current framework limps to its finish line in 2024 before giving serious thought
to the new race we must all run in the future."
"Before negotiations for a new contract begin in earnest, we want to make our position clear to all of those who will be involved in its development. Years more
of the same would be totally unacceptable. Tinkering at the edges of the current arrangements as the basis for a new deal could not achieve the transformation
that is needed."
Former chair of the NPA, Andrew Lane, listed some of the principles in a speech to industry leaders in January, but this is the first time the approach has been
agreed in its entirety, following months of testing with NPA members.
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.
Denmark's Zealand Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim said their experimental obesity treatment achieved up to 14.9% weight loss in a mid-stage trial, lining up
a potential contestant in the booming obesity drug market.
In a statement on Wednesday (May 10), the partners said that the Phase II dose-finding trial met its primary endpoint of weight loss after 46 weeks.
Paola Casarosa, head of therapeutic areas at Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim told Reuters the partners are in discussion with regulators about the design of a
planned follow-up trial in the third and last phase of testing.
The enormous demand for weight-loss treatments such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, or potentially Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, could support as many as 10 competing products
with annual sales reaching up to $100 billion within a decade, mostly in the United States, industry executives and analysts said.
Lilly said about a year ago that Mounjaro was shown to reduce up to 22.5% in weight after 72 weeks of treatment in a much larger late-stage trial.
Microplates are an important part of many laboratory experiments. They are often used to measure the results of a process or to test a product. When working
with microplates, it is important to use the right closure and sealing method to ensure accurate results. This article will discuss the different types of closures
and seals available, as well as how to choose the right one for your needs.
HEAT SEALING METHOD
One of the most common methods for sealing microplates is the heat seal method. This method uses a heating element to melt the top layer of the plate, which then
bonds to the bottom layer. Heat sealing is a quick and easy way to seal a microplate, and it is often used for plates that will be stored for long periods. For this
reason, heat sealing is the preferred method for sealing storage plates. Heat sealing is also one of the most cost-effective methods for sealing microplates. If you
are interested to learn more about heat sealing, you may be surprised to find that there are many pieces of heat sealing equipment for sale at a very reasonable
price. You just need to take the time to find the right one for your needs. As much as possible, choose the one with adjustable temperature settings so you can
find the perfect heat for your microplates. More often than not, 225 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for heat sealing.
NHS England has secured a deal for 'Dexcom ONE Real Time-Continuous Glucose Monitoring' device which will help type 1 diabetes patients to keep track of their
glucose levels at all times without having to scan or take a finger prick test.
Once the patients receive their starter pack - which will include information on the product and usage, a sensor and transmitter - from the hospital or GP surgery,
they can go to the community pharmacy for their repeat prescription.
The wearable arm gadget sends information to a mobile app and allows diabetes patients to keep track of their glucose levels.
"Traditionally, continuous glucose monitors are more expensive than their flash monitor counterparts - which record glucose levels by scanning a sensor - but thanks
to the NHS agreeing on a new cost-effective deal with manufacturers DEXCOM, they will now be available for NHS patients on prescription at a similar price," said NHS.
Dexcom ONE Real Time-Continuous Glucose Monitoring, uses a sensor no bigger than a bottle cap that attaches to the arm for up to 10 days and measures glucose levels
from just under the skin.
The wider rollout of the technology will help diabetes patients manage their condition better - reducing hospitalisations and associated diabetic illnesses which will
ultimately ease pressure off the NHS.
Karen Baxter, vice president, UK & Ireland, Benelux, France and Spain at Dexcom: "The addition of Dexcom ONE to the NHS England drug tariff is enormous progress
towards improving the choice of diabetes tech, providing an alternative to burdensome finger pricks and scanning.
The British scientists behind one of the major therapeutic Covid-19 trials have turned their focus to treatments for monkeypox, a viral disease that has been
labelled a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.
The team from Oxford University behind the so-called RECOVERY trial - which honed in on four effective Covid treatments - on Tuesday unveiled a new trial, dubbed
PLATINUM, to confirm whether Siga Technologies' tecovirimat is an effective treatment for monkeypox.
Although there are vaccines developed for the closely related smallpox that can reduce the risk of catching monkeypox, there are currently no treatments that have
been proven to help hasten recovery in those who develop the disease.
The UK has over 3,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox.
The virus is transmitted chiefly through close contact with an infected person. It typically causes mild symptoms including fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes and
pus-filled skin lesions. Severe cases can occur, though people tend to recover within two to four weeks.
Siga's drug, branded Tpoxx, has been cleared to treat diseases caused by the family of orthopoxvirus that includes smallpox, monkeypox and cowpox by the European
Union and United Kingdom, but due to limited trial data it is generally only used in severe cases in Britain.
The Pharmacist' Defence Association (PDA) has welcomed the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)'s
plan to ensure a more robust, fair and positive experience for trainees, provisionally registered and potential pharmacists who will be sitting the November 2022
assessment.
"Many candidates at the latest (June 2022) assessment experienced significant delays, technical issues, inadequate invigilation, and disturbances in test centres
around the UK as the newly appointed company BTL ran the high-stakes pharmacist examinations for the first time. The next online exam is due in November 2022 and the
PDA welcome proposed improvements to be introduced before that sitting," said the association.
For some, provisional registration was the accepted response from the GPhC, but for others, such as potential pharmacists who did not want the provisional role,
those unable to find a suitable provisional post, or some that did not meet the criteria for provisional registration, they found themselves in financial
difficulties through no fault of their own, having reasonably expected to have joined the register in the Summer.
The National Health Service England (NHSE) aims to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 by making the lifesaving Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination
easily accessible to people and increasing cervical screening uptake.
In addition to the campaign, the NHS is expanding the outreach of cervical screening more than ever before.
Last year, the health service invited over five million people aged 25 to 64 for the screening, out of which 3.5 million were tested.
Moreover, self-sampling will be trialled to see if the service can introduced as part of national screening.
England is among the first countries in the world to set this elimination ambition, which could save thousands of lives every year in the country.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of Officer of NHS England, announced the health service's new goal and how to achieve it at the NHS Providers' annual conference
today (15 November).
AstraZeneca UK has revised the expiry dates for certain batches of Fluenz Tetra nasal spray vaccines as a precautionary measure, after finding that their
potency (strength) dropped faster than predicted once thawed, during routine testing.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been informed by the manufacturer that the printed expiry date for a limited number of batches
is "incorrect."
However, the MHRA has assured patients that the affected batches are safe to use and fully effective within the amended expiry date.
If the vaccine is administered after the amended expiry date, it may be less effective in protecting against flu, it said.
The UK regulatory authority also reiterated that it "keeps the safety of medicines, including vaccines, under review, and acts where necessary to protect patients
and the public."
Thanks to the NHS primary care access recovery plan, more than 23 million people can now view test results and check their consultation notes online without
needing to contact their GP practice.
NHS England on Monday (4 December) announced that over 81 GP practices in England (more than four in five) are now giving patients access to their new health
records online through the NHS App.
In May, the NHS announced the primary care access recovery plan setting a target of 9 in 10 GP practices offering patients access to their records through the
NHS App by March 2024.
By making access to healthcare easier and quicker, the NHSE also aims to free up to 10 million GP appointments a year by next winter.
Diabetes affects over 537 million people worldwide; by 2045, this is estimated to increase to 783 million. [1] With the growing prevalence of diabetes,
it's even more important to utilise all options to support people with diabetes (PwDs) in managing their daily life with diabetes.
Where do PwDs most often access healthcare support? On average, PwDs visit the pharmacy three-to-eight times more than the general population to obtain medicines
and testing supplies.[2] It is clear that pharmacists play an integral role in empowering the self-management needs of PwDs beyond the traditional role of
supplying medicines. This relationship, however, may be underutilised.
Research suggests there is a lack of broad recognition of pharmacists as a key source of diabetes care, and that resource constraints - particularly following
the COVID-19 pandemic - can interfere with patient education provision and training.[3,4] Furthermore, the circumstances and role of the pharmacy vary, nationally
and internationally. At Roche Diabetes Care we would like to shine a light on the increasing value of community pharmacists as important figures in the well-being
of PwDs.
The Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio (DMTP) was able to deliver the electronic prescription service (EPS) in Wales - just 20 months after
starting the project - with support from key partners in the NHS and industry.
Patients in Rhyl were the first to benefit from the new service, which allows GPs to send prescriptions electronically to the patient's choice of community
pharmacy, without the need for a paper form.
The new EPS service is currently in a live testing phase, with a phased roll out across Wales expected from January 2024.
DMTP, which is hosted by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) has worked closely with NHS England, who provided the core EPS platform that has been developed
for use in Wales. NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership has also made a major contribution in the project, incorporating digital reimbursement to pharmacies
and putting security measures in place.
The Department of Health (DoH) Northern Ireland is reminding the public to think Pharmacy First this winter to stay well and reduce demands on other parts
of their health service.
Under this new advanced service, a local pharmacy can provide treatment and advice on a range of health conditions including common colds, stomach upsets, ear
aches, diarrhoea, head lice, mouth ulcers and thrush.
Pharmacies will also directly provide emergency contraception and advice and treatment for uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) for women aged 16 to 64
years without the need for a GP appointment, the department said.
Further the public are informed that 42 community pharmacies across the country will be providing a sore throat service this winter, involving advice, testing for
infection and treatment, if necessary.
A total of 37 more cases of monkeypox have been detected in England and Scotland, public health officials said on Monday, taking the total to 57.
Thirty-six confirmed cases were found in England, and one north of the border, the UK Health Security Agency and Public Health Scotland said.
The UKHSA said it was now advising high-risk contact cases of confirmed cases who have not tested positive or developed symptoms to isolate for up to 21 days.
It has also bought supplies of smallpox vaccine, which is being offered to close contacts to reduce the risk of symptomatic infection and severe illness.
Chief medical adviser Susan Hopkins said contact tracing was helping to limit the close-contact spread of the virus, which causes a chickenpox-like rash.
"Because the virus spreads through close contact, we are urging everyone to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service if they have any symptoms," she added in a statement.
More than 5,000 vulnerable people have enrolled for the ground-breaking Platform Adaptive trial of NOvel antiviRals for eArly treatMent of Covid-19 In the Community (PANORAMIC) study on life-saving antivirals.
With this the UK is now one step closer to rolling out the innovative medicines, which would help reduce the severity of symptoms and the risk of hospitalisation or death.
Success of the study would eventually help to ease pressures on the NHS.
Anyone over the age of 50 or between 18 to 49 with certain underlying health conditions can participate in the trial after receiving a positive PCR or lateral flow test result.
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.
Pfizer has recalled all stocks of Accupro - including 5mg, 10mg, 20mg, 40mg film-coated tablets - as a precautionary measure due to the identification of a
nitrosamine above the acceptable limit.
"Following testing, N-nitroso-quinapril, has been observed at a level above the acceptable limit. Nitrosamines may increase the risk of cancer if people are
exposed to them above acceptable levels and over long periods of time. The recall is at pharmacy and wholesaler level," the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committees (PSNC) reported.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said: "All strengths of quinapril (Accupro) tablets have been recalled with a resupply date to be confirmed. Pfizer
are the sole supplier of quinapril tablets in the UK. Alternative ACE inhibitors remain available and can support an uplift in demand."
Clinical trials for BioNTech's cancer vaccines should start this year in Britain, marking an important step towards their possible sale on the open market,
the German company's top executive Ugur Sahin told magazine Der Spiegel.
BioNTech, known for its COVID vaccine with U.S. partner Pfizer, is currently deciding which types of cancer it wants to test its personalized cancer immunotherapies
on and the locations where it will conduct the trials, Sahin said.
The company wants these therapies, which are based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology similar to the one that underpins its COVID-19 vaccine, to soon become a regular
treatment for cancer patients.
"We believe that this should be possible for large amounts of patients before 2030," Sahin said.
