Northern Ireland's chief pharmaceutical officer paid a visit to a community pharmacy in Belfast on Monday (November 7) - marking the end of this year's Ask
Your Pharmacist week, an annual public awareness campaign launched by the National Pharmacy Association.
Cathy Harrison interacted with patients and staff in the pharmacy before recording a video to promote NI's 'Pharmacy First' service in which she described community
pharmacies as "one of the front doors to the health service" with over 500 outlets located across the country.
"In our community pharmacies you can always rely on friendly staff, medicines expertise, and walk-in access to face-to-face advice," she said.
First launched in Scotland, the NHS Pharmacy First service enables patients to have a consultation with a pharmacist for advice on minor ailments.
Ms Harrison also drew attention to community pharmacy's role in cancer awareness and helping people to quit smoking, as well as managing patients with urinary tract
infections, in addition to playing their part in delivering Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has maintained the prescription-only status of Aquiette 2.5mg Tablets for symptoms of
overactive bladder, following a public consultation and the review of a reclassification application from the manufacturer Maxwellia Ltd.
Aquiette, which contains the active ingredient oxybutynin, is used for the treatment of long-term symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB) in women aged between 18
and 65, such as the urgent need to urinate and frequent urination without pain.
The regulator decided against the reclassification of Aquiette 2.5mg Tablets from a prescription-only medicine (POM) to a pharmacy (P) medicine, concluding that
a medical prescription continues to be required to ensure the safe use of Aquiette.
Since an OAB diagnosis requires medical supervision to ensure that the correct treatment is received, and other health conditions are not overlooked or left untreated,
the MHRA said the decision would ensure that the medication is used safely and appropriately under medical supervision.
"After taking on board the views of the many patients and healthcare professionals who responded, we have decided to refuse the reclassification of Aquiette 2.5mg
Tablets for women with symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB)," Dr Laura Squire, MHRA chief healthcare quality and access officer, said.
The Health and Social Care Secretary has announced over £175 million funding to boost genomics research in the UK.
Through this funding, the government aims to create the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world.
"Patients with cancer and children born with treatable rare genetic diseases are set to benefit from earlier diagnosis and faster access to treatment, following a
£175 million boost to cutting-edge genomics research announced by the Health and Social Care Secretary today (Tuesday)," said DHSC.
The funding will enable research which could deliver world-leading genomic healthcare to patients, which involves the study of people's DNA.
"£105 million to be funded to kickstart a world-leading research study, led by Genomics England in partnership with the NHS, to explore the effectiveness of using
whole genome sequencing to find and treat rare genetic diseases in newborn babies," said DHSC.
"An initial £26 million to support an innovative cancer programme, led by Genomics England in partnership with the NHS, to evaluate cutting-edge genomic sequencing
technology to improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis for cancer patients and use artificial intelligence to analyse a person's DNA, alongside other information
such as routine scans.
The UK must act swiftly to fend off competition if it wants to build the world's leading life sciences sciences hub, a new report suggests.
A year on from the launch of the government's life science vision, the report commissioned by the the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said
although achieving the ambition remained feasible, the UK would need an attractive business environment because its competitor countries were becoming more adept
at attracting investment.
To achieve the ambition of the vision, the PwC-produced report suggested raising pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK to build a 'stronger manufacturing and
research infrastructure', alongside better investment in, access to and uptake of innovative medicines.
It said the UK would also need to adopt a renewed approach to the priority healthcare challenges identified in the government's 'Life Science Vision', which would
mean cutting the overall burden on health of dementia, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease and mental health.
The report quantified the size of the prize if the vision was implemented in full and the UK could emulate the successes of leading EU countries, which included:
£68 billion in additional GDP over 30 years, owing to increased R&D investment
£16.3 billion additional annual GDP from increased pharmaceutical exports
Supporting 85,000 additional jobs
Up to 40 per cent decrease in disease burden across the whole UK - for areas like cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions and Cancer.
Reduced variation in speed of access to new medicines within three months of licensing for all NHS patients.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has welcomed the Health Secretary Sajid Javid's plan to appoint Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) tsar to tackle the medicine shortages.
On Sunday (April 24) Sajid Javid told the Mail that he planned to tackle the problem (shortage of HRT medicine) by appointing a new HRT tsar with the role modelled on that of Kate Bingham, who successfully led the government's Covid vaccine taskforce.
"The difficulties in accessing HRT medicine have unfairly impacted women's mental health," said RPS President, Professor Claire Anderson.
"I look forward to working with this new champion for HRT and the Government on how we can better support women's health, building on the positive move to reduce
prescription charges for HRT for women."
Anderson also stressed that "the Government should now go further and end unfair prescription charges for patients in England altogether."
Sobha Sharma Kandel wants community pharmacy teams up and down the country to be super responsive to emerging needs of their patients - by always being
pro-active rather than reactive.
"We know that every patient benefits from our proactive approaches - listening, asking questions, providing information and making clinical interventions when
appropriate.
"At a time when general practice is overstretched, community pharmacy must be relied upon as the frontline of the NHS when it comes to providing diagnosis,
treatment and continuous care in our communities to promote health and wellbeing of our patients."
Sobha believes Covid-19 has helped shift public perception of community pharmacies from being a place where one goes to collect a prescription to a hub where one
can access a range of healthcare advice and services.
"We are way more than just a shop where you can collect your medicines," she said, giving examples of how her interventions have helped reduce medication errors,
prevent harm and subsequently reduce cost of care.
She once saved a baby from getting overdosed with omeprazole when they had issues with gastroesophageal reflux. On another occasion, she managed a lady's high blood
pressure by finding equivalent medications to a combination dose prescribed by her doctor in another country.
Rosemont Pharmaceuticals (Rosemont) has acquired Lucis Pharma Ltd, a specialist pharmaceutical business in the UK.
Through this acquisition Rosemont will expand its existing portfolio and have access to a pipeline of innovative products, providing lifesaving pharmaceuticals to
the UK and overseas markets.
Founded in 2012, Lucis has grown to become a leading provider in the development and licensing of novel and exclusive medicines. With over a dozen SKUs covering a
variety of therapeutic areas, Lucis has established a strong portfolio that, in addition to a pipeline of innovative developments, serve the growing patient need for
liquid medicines.
The acquisition will enable Rosemont to broaden its portfolio and enter the unit dose / sachet market through the pipeline products, whilst growing the business
through recent Lucis product launches in 2021/22.
"As well as continuing to broaden our portfolio and add to our strong growth globally, this acquisition also gives access to pipeline products and developer
relationships to accelerate our entry into new product areas such as sachets" said Howard Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Rosemont.
The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) has elected Diane DiGangi Trench to be its new vice-chair.
DiGangi Trench takes up the position replacing Xiromed's Peter Ballard and in 12-months' time will assume the association's chair role from Accord's Peter Kelly.
With over 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, DiGangi Trench has held a number of senior commercial roles including stints with Takeda and Astra Zeneca.
She joined Sandoz in 2018 in the US, where she served as Vice-President, Market Access and Patient Services.
In 2021, she became the head of Sandoz' UK business and in her two years in role, she has led the organisation through a post-COVID recovery and growth phase to
prepare for the proposed spin out of the company from its parent, Novartis, expected later this year.
She said: "It's a great honor to take on the role of Vice Chair of the BGMA. The success of the generics and biosimilar industry is essential to the functioning of
the NHS. Generic medicines fill four out of five UK prescriptions and biosimilars enable the NHS to expand access to more patients. I am passionate about increasing
the sustainability of our industry so we can continue to play our vital part in the health of the nation."
Mark Samuels, BGMA chief executive, said: "We are extremely fortunate to be able to call upon the expertise of Diane who has already added significant value through
her role on the BGMA board and leadership of a key strategic committee.
Over the last few years, we've seen the aftermath of Covid-19, with the demand for consumer health products being unprecedented and unpredictable, placing
pressure on supply chains and labour market. In turn, the industry has experienced acute shortages across the healthcare sector, placing huge pressure on
pharmacists, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
Europe has an estimated shortage of around 50,000 public-sector doctors[1], which is set to increase in the coming years. While this shortage stems from several
complex problems, there is a hidden force that could play a key part in helping to alleviate this burden. That force is the potential of self-care.
Encouragingly, last month the UK government recognised the unique role that self-care can play through the introduction of its Delivery plan for recovering access
to primary care. Through this, it has pledged to empower patients to manage their own health through several commitments, including improving accessibility to
online tools and reclassifying medicines to make formerly prescribed options available over the counter.
In an open letter to pharmacy colleagues, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) praised the work being done by them over this "extremely busy period."
Expressing gratitude towards pharmacists RPS said "Patients rely on you and we are so proud of the work you are doing."
It said the incredible work of pharmacists, in all settings, have ensured that patients have access to medicines and advice during the pandemic.
Calling pharmacists an integral part of the profession, RPS said they not only prescribe and advise the public, but also play a key role in teaching future pharmacists, developing new medicines, running and supporting clinical trials.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has urged health and care professionals to meet relevant regulatory standards amidst the shortage of GLP-1 receptor
agonists (GLP-1 RAs).
The council said: "We are concerned to hear that people with Type 2 diabetes are experiencing problems accessing GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). We know that
these are being widely prescribed for weight loss purposes and in some cases prescribed off-label."
"We recognise the adverse impact that shortages and supply chain issues can have on patients, the public and wider health and care teams.
The Council understands that health and care professionals are using their professional judgement and making decisions in challenging situations, balancing a range
of factors such as individual patient needs, wider public health and pressures and limitations on available resources such as medicines shortages or other supply
chain issues.
Community Pharmacy Wales and the Welsh government have entered an agreement on Thursday (December 16), enabling all pharmacies to deliver provision of
contraception, treatment for common minor ailments, and access to repeat medicines in an emergency.
Expansion of clinical community pharmacy service will be supported with an increased funding of £20 million a year by April 2024 from the current level of £11.4m.
The two bodies have been negotiating the terms of agreement, which also includes plans to roll out a Wales-wide pharmacy prescribing service, allowing trained pharmacists to treat an extended range of conditions that currently require GP visits.
The agreement will allow patients to access NHS services closer to home which in turn would free up GP and other NHS services for patients with more complex needs.
Eluned Morgan MS, minister for Health and Social Services said: "I welcome the positive approach to negotiations taken by Community Pharmacy Wales, embracing our ambition for a reimagined community pharmacy service, which is an integral part of a strong primary care landscape."
Nine in ten people surveyed by Ipsos on behalf on NHS positively rated the advice they received from their local pharmacies.
The results from Ipsos found that the vast majority of patients (91%) who had used a community pharmacy in the previous year for advice about medicines, a health
problem or injury, or what health service they should use said they received good advice.
The research comes as more than 11,000 pharmacies in England can now access training to spot signs of cancer as part of a new drive to catch tumours earlier when
they are easier to treat.
Thorrun Govind, Chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society English Pharmacy Board, said: "Community pharmacists are working exceptionally hard to make sure that the
public gets the right advice at the right time. This new data shows the public appreciate both the accessibility and quality of advice they receive from community
pharmacists.
"I am delighted that the Royal Pharmaceutical Society is working with the NHS to deliver professional development for community pharmacists to further enhance their
clinical consultation skills.
Eli Lilly's weight-loss medicine Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, will be available in the UK within weeks as a four-dose pre-filled injection pen.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the drug to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and for weight management in obese patients.
Branded as Mounjaro KwikPen, the injection is to be used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, the regulator said.
"The public health importance of safe and effective treatments to help manage diabetes and obesity, which can have a significant impact on people's health, is clear.
"This approval enables access to the approved Mounjaro pen in a more convenient presentation of a month's treatment, of one dose per week," said Julian Beach,
MHRA Interim Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has launched a partnership with the charity Marie Curie to develop professional standards in end of life care for community pharmacy.
Available for pharmacy teams across the UK, the standards will provide a free, evidence-based framework to help community pharmacies self-assess and continuously improve their end of life and bereavement care for patients and carers.
They will enable community pharmacy teams to work together to develop their own practice.
RPS is setting up a professional standard steering group which will have community pharmacy experts, experts within the field of palliative and end of life care,
lay members, and healthcare professionals who interact with community pharmacy.
Elen Jones, director lead for palliative care work at RPS, said: "RPS has a long-term commitment, striving to ensure that people living with life-limiting conditions
who are approaching the end of life have timely access to medicines and clinical support from a skilled pharmacy team.
"The development of these standards, in partnership with Marie Curie, is a crucial step to support community pharmacy teams to undertake simple quality improvement
measures and build upon the care they already provide to this group of patients and carers."
The Company Chemists Association (CCA)'s 'Prospectus for community pharmacy' has revealed that community pharmacies can release over 42 million appointments
from general practice every year.
In its prospect, the association calculated that community pharmacies could reduce hospital readmissions by 65,000 and administer an additional 10m routine vaccines
annually.
The prospectus sets out bold ideas and proposals regarding the future of community pharmacy. The association said: "Community pharmacies already work collaboratively
with the NHS to ensure that patients can access care easily and safely. Whilst the sector has evolved considerably in recent years, the CCA proposes that pharmacies
could do even more to directly tackle key problems for patients."
CCA is concerned that without immediate action pharmacy closures will become increasingly common. "Fewer pharmacies will considerably diminish access to vital
medicines and services, with the greatest impact on those in deprived communities."
The NHS plans to train hundreds of pharmacy staff, expanding their ability to provide advanced clinical services and assume wider roles in dispensing medicines.
With a targeted launch in September, up to 840 pharmacy technicians can join in the training programme. The online modules will cover consultation skills,
therapeutics, clinical decision-making, assessment skills, and service improvement.
"Community pharmacies are pivotal in local communities, and this novel training scheme empowers them to extend their service offerings to a wider patient base,"
said Health Minister Neil O'Brien. "Through our investment in the workforce, we're bolstering the implementation of the Pharmacy First initiative with £645 million,
ensuring patients have access to expert assistance for various common ailments, including urinary tract infections and earaches."
NHS said the training will offer flexibility to align with the working schedules and prior experience of community pharmacy technicians. It will combine independent
online e-course study, educational supervision, and clinical skills training. Facilitated workshops will concentrate on enhancing clinical assessment skills and
applying knowledge and skills through case studies, practice activities, and group discussions.
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 government on Wednesday (March 2) announced an investment of £260 million to support research, development and manufacturing of new drugs, devices and
diagnostics.
Of the total funding, up to £200m has been allocated for research to better access NHS data through Trusted Research Environments and digital clinical trial services, enabling availability of crucial data with the highest levels of privacy.
This will allow the NHS to deliver new life-saving treatments to patients, tackle health inequalities and improve patient care, a government release stated.
The remaining £60m will support commercial-scale manufacturing investments by companies at the leading-edge of innovation, from cell and gene therapies and earlier
and better diagnostic technologies, to medical devices.
The funding for manufacturing investments will be distributed through the new Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF), following the success of the earlier Medicines and Diagnostics Manufacturing Transformation Fund.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has appointed Dekra to certify medical devices in the UK.
Dekra Certification UK has joined the three current UK approved bodies, increasing the UK's capacity to process conformity assessments for medical devices to ensure
safe and effective devices reach the UK public.
An approved body is an organisation that has been designated by the MHRA to assess whether manufacturers and their medical devices meet the requirements set out in
the UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002.
Following an appropriate assessment, the new approved body will issue relevant certification allowing manufacturers to place a UKCA marking on their products before
putting them on the market.
Dr Laura Squire, chief healthcare quality and access officer at the MHRA, said: "This is a major milestone in our mission to ensure patients across the UK have access
to the high-quality medical devices they need to protect their health.