Indian authorities have cancelled or suspended licences of some domestic drug companies as part of action taken against 76 pharmaceutical firms this month for
selling adulterated or fake products, a government source said on Thursday.
India is known as the 'pharmacy of the world' and its pharmaceuticals exports have more than doubled over the past decade to $24.5 billion in 2021-22.
But that image has been dented by the death of at least 70 children in Gambia and 19 children in Uzbekistan in Uzbekistan last year linked to drugs made by
India-based pharmaceutical companies.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed a crackdown but did not give details of companies against which action had been taken.
"There are more than 10,500 pharma companies in the country. Companies who make spurious medicine will not be spared," Mandaviya told reporters at an event.
Licences of some Indian drug companies have been cancelled, some were suspended while others have been put on notice during the past 15 days, the source, who had
direct knowledge of the matter, told Reuters news agency.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and NHS England have agreed that community pharmacy contractors will have to participate in one
mandatory national health campaign.
This campaign on weight management commenced from Tuesday (03 January) and will run until Sunday (29January).
PSNC said: "Pharmacies can be required to participate in up to six health campaigns at the request of NHS England per year (1st April to 31st March).
Pharmacies will be involved by displaying and distributing leaflets provided by NHS England.
In addition, pharmacies are required to undertake prescription-linked interventions on major areas of public health concern, such as encouraging smoking cessation.
"Contractors can order pharmacy specific posters, wallet cards ('info' cards with a QR code signposting people to the Better Health website and free tips and tools
to lose weight) and a dispenser for these cards on the Campaign Resource Centre website. A guidance leaflet to support community pharmacy teams' conversations with
patients is also available," said PSNC.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support have announced a formal agreement aimed at enhancing collaboration to better support RPS
members and increase the impact of the charity.
This partnership comes after years of working closely together, and formalising it will allow both organisations to reach a wider audience and focus on supporting
the wellbeing of pharmacy professionals.
The aim of the partnership is to establish a visible link between the professional body and the independent charity to increase awareness about the two
organisations for greater focus on the support within the sector.
Along with this, the key objectives also include identifying fundraising opportunities for Pharmacist Support, and collaborating on specific wellbeing projects.
NHS England has launched a cloud-based platform that links recently-retired consultants, who still hold a licence to practice, with secondary care providers
who need additional help with their waiting lists.
It has been developed to make it easier and more flexible for retired doctors to return to the health service as part of the Long Term Workforce Plan.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard in June 2023 announced the NHS Emeritus pilot scheme, which is expected to help reduce long waits for elective care.
Initially, the scheme will run for a year across England, and if successful, it may be expanded to cover other work areas.
Health Minister Andrew Stephenson commented: "Returning consultants will bring invaluable experience and knowledge, and the new digital platform will match
highly-skilled consultants with the NHS trusts that require their expertise, providing high quality care and alleviating pressures on high demand areas.
A full CPE Committee Meeting was organised in London on April 17 and 18, 2024, to discuss crucial sectoral issues.
Key topics discussed during the two-day meeting included intolerable pressures on pharmacy owners, the ongoing Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF)
negotiations, implementation of the Pharmacy First service, and governance changes.
Committee Members reviewed the progress of CPCF negotiations with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England. These critical negotiations
are being led by the Negotiating Team (NT), which includes independent pharmacy owners and representatives of CCA and non-CCA multiples.
The CPE has been advocating for an uplift to the core global sum, margin write-offs, an agreed mechanism for regular funding increases linked to activity and
inflation, annual uplifts to service fees, more fundamental reform of the margin delivery framework and an economic review of the medicines supply chain.
The Committee also discussed the results of the 2024 Pharmacy Pressures Survey, which was conducted during March and April.
The outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) in the UK, which is associated with contaminated eye gels imported from India, has led to the death of
one person, and many others falling ill, according to a government report.
Bcc is a group of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are widely found within the environment. Although it rarely causes infection, it can result in severe ones in
individuals with compromised immune systems and those living with cystic fibrosis, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Between January 2023 and February 2024, there were 52 confirmed and six probable cases across the UK linked to the bacteria outbreak, as revealed in the Health
Protection Report published by UKHSA.
Forty-one of these cases were hospital inpatients, 38 of which were in critical-care settings.
Twenty-five cases were considered to have "clinically significant infections attributable to Bcc", out of which 11 had eye infections, nine had respiratory
infections and four had bacteremia (bacteria entering the bloodstream).
Two individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) were infected, and while one was treated, the other died, with the report indicating Bcc infection to have "contributed
to the death."
The incredible consequences that drug misuse has imposed on humans in the last few years make it one of the most pressing issues facing such nations.
A person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol often turns to these substances as a crutch while they're going through tough times. Taking the drug regularly
becomes habitual since it provides short-term relief without permanently resolving the issue. An important part of becoming sober is learning to substitute
better routines for the addict's old, harmful ones. These self-care routines and healthy habits are much better ways to deal with stress. Here we will explain
how healthy behavior throughout addiction recovery is simply one of many methods to adapt to life after treatment.
Physical Activity
Scientific studies have shown that physical activity increases levels of two hormones. dopamine and serotonin, which are linked to better mood. A more positive
outlook, restful sleep, and enhanced general health are all possible outcomes of these hormones. In the early stages of your rehabilitation, it is wise to start
an exercise regimen that you have never done before. You may find new sober friends and interactions, as well as inspiration to improve your physical health, by
connecting with other people who share your interests in physical activity. In the early stages of recovery, having sober friends may be really helpful since it
allows you to connect with those who understand what you're going through. Friendships formed in early recovery often continue long after the addict has left the
program, according to many people in recovery.
Poverty not only takes a significant toll on people's health but also leads to additional costs for the National Health Service (NHS). Rise in deep poverty,
cost-of-living crisis, and high pressure on NHS services have worsened the situation, according to a study published by The King's Fund this week.
The report underscored that poverty and deprivation contribute to a greater prevalence of diseases, difficulties in accessing health care, late or delayed
treatment, and worse health outcomes. These challenges could be seen across various NHS services, spanning from emergency care to dental services
Additionally, it revealed that 30 per cent of people living in the most deprived areas have turned to 999, 111, A&E or a walk-in centre because they could not
access a GP appointment.
In 2016, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) estimated the cost of poverty on health care at £29 billion (£34 billion in current prices). As the proportion of
people living in deep poverty has risen, the situation has worsened. In 2021/22, six million people were living in very deep poverty, up from 4.5 million two
decades ago. Currently, more than one in five people in the UK are estimated to be living in poverty, the report noted.
Deprivation is linked to a range of diet-related health problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as mental illness. According to the
report, the depression rate is two times higher among people living in the most deprived areas, compared to the least deprived areas.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has taken an interesting step to increase public awareness and understanding of the Pharmacy First service.
The organisation has launched a new video animation that provides clear and concise information about the service, highlighting the seven conditions covered,
the eligible age ranges within the clinical pathways consultations, and explaining how patients can access these services.
Pharmacy owners and their teams are encouraged to use the new animation with existing resources to communicate the benefits and scope of the service to their
patients.
The animation can be linked to pharmacy social media content and downloaded for display on digital screens in pharmacies. General practices are also encouraged to
use the animation on digital screens in their practice waiting areas.
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