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Researchers from the University of Oxford today (December 8) started recruiting for a clinical trial to test novel antiviral Covid-19 treatments for early use in the illness by people in the community and those who are at higher risk of complications. Partnering with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), colleagues in several UK universities, and the NHS UK-wide, the Platform Adaptive trial of NOvel antiviRals for eArly treatMent of Covid-19 In the Community (PANORAMIC), is a national priority trial, and will be open to participants from across the UK. The first treatment to be tested by the UK Antiviral Taskforce will be molnupiravir, a Covid antiviral pill already licensed by the MHRA. Britain became the first country in the world to approve molnupiravir, which was jointly developed by U.S.-based Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, in November.

A three-year contract has been signed between NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and Pharmaceutical Press, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) knowledge business, to continue the supply of trusted medicines information though MedicinesComplete, to healthcare professionals in Scotland. The renewed investment from NES demonstrates unequivocal confidence in the publisher and highlights Pharmaceutical Press' ongoing commitment to provide practical and evidence-based guidance, supporting those who prescribe, dispense, and administer medicines. Essential resources include Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference, Palliative Care formulary, Stockley's Drug Interactions and Critical Illness. Relied on by healthcare professionals globally for use in everyday practice, clear and concise guidance through MedicinesComplete supports confident decision-making at the point of care.

Approximately 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits are utilised each year for self-treatable illnesses. If these individuals chose to self-treat using over-the-counter (OTC) medications, the potential savings for NHS could amount to at least £1.7 billion annually, according to a research commissioned by Proprietary Association of Great Britain. The study, conducted by analysts at Frontier Economics, revealed that embracing self-care could bring an additional economic benefit of £350 million annually, as employees would avoid unnecessary time off from work for medical appointments. Apart from the savings resulting from the increased OTC medicine use, the report emphasises the potential benefits of reclassifying more prescription-only medications (POMs). A mere 5 per cent reduction in NHS prescribing levels and spending could lead to an annual cost-saving of £1.4 billion, encompassing both prescription costs and GP appointments, it said. "This substantial amount could greatly alleviate financial pressures on the NHS and offer essential resources for recruiting and training much-needed healthcare professionals."

RPS Scotland has partnered with charity organisation Marie Curie for an exhibition at the Scottish Parliament this week to highlight Daffodil Standards and the crucial contribution of community pharmacies to palliative and end-of-life care. The exhibition is being sponsored by Jeremy Balfour MSP. Community pharmacies offer vital assistance by providing guidance on medication adjustments and side effects, RPS Scotland said in a statement. They are easily accessible without the need for an appointment, providing essential support and reassurance to families in times of need. The Daffodil Standards, which is jointly developed by RPS and Marie Curie, drive continuous improvement in end-of-life and bereavement support within community pharmacies, benefiting terminally ill patients, their families, and caregivers. These standards align with the RCGP/Marie Curie guidelines for general practice introduced in 2019. Since its May launch, over 450 pharmacies throughout Great Britain, including more than 30 in Scotland, have implemented these principles, the statement said.

More than three quarters of British people, who have suffered persistent ill health following a Covid-19 infection, have had to cut back or change the work they do, according to a survey on the impact of long Covid published on Wednesday (November 9). In the survey of 1,002 people, conducted by market research company Censuswide, some 98 per cent of long Covid sufferers said the condition had limited their ability to work, with 78 per cent needing to cut back or change their work and 19 having ceased work altogether. Long Covid, a collection of symptoms ranging from pain and heart palpitations to insomnia and brain fog, can last for many months after initial infection. Britain's most recent official labour market data showed that a record proportion of people classified as "economically inactive" - neither working nor looking for a job - were suffering from long-term sickness. In absolute terms, the number of working-age people who are long-term sick has risen by 378,000 since early 2020.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised booster vaccination to be offered this autumn (2023) for those at higher risk of severe Covid-19 in its interim advice to government on the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme for 2023. The JCVI also advised that for a smaller group of people, such as those who are older and those who are immunosuppressed, an extra booster vaccine dose in the spring should also be planned for. Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of Covid-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said: "The Covid-19 vaccination programme continues to reduce severe disease across the population, while helping to protect the NHS. That is why we have advised planning for further booster vaccines for persons at higher risk of serious illness through an autumn booster programme later this year. We will very shortly also provide final advice on a spring booster programme for those at greatest risk."

Endometriosis is known as one of the complications of women's reproductive parts. Also, research says that it affects primarily 10% of women starting their adolescence. Still, many believe that it is not as harmful an illness as it sounds, without having any idea that it is...

Winter is imminent and with dropping temperatures viruses are bound to be more prevalent, exacerbating health problems among the vulnerable and immunocompromised patients. This can cause serious complications, and therefore, it's important to know the symptoms, methods to manage them and when to refer. A healthy person can usually manage the illnesses with over-the counter medication. Colds, flu and Covid-19 are caused by different viruses. As some of their symptoms overlap, it may be hard to tell the difference. However, some key differences are shown in the following figure. It is also possible to suffer from cold/flu and Covid-19 simultaneously, which can complicate matters. As per NHS guidelines, anyone with fever, cough, loss/change in sense of taste and/or smell has to self-isolate and request a Covid test. Pharmacy Advice The pharmacy team should advise patients with symptoms to take rest, ensure adequate hydration and take balanced nutrition. Supplements such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D and zinc can also help to boost the immune system and can be recommended.

A physically active lifestyle offers numerous benefits, including better cardiovascular fitness, healthy body weight, management of chronic illnesses like diabetes and arthritis, and improved bone health and muscular fitness. However, like the cliché statement that every action attracts an adverse reaction, physical activity has its fair share of risks, including injuries. Some common body injuries while engaging in various levels of physical activity or active sports include wrist, knee, and ankle injuries. The most common injuries are bruises, strains, and sprains, and this article focuses on the latter. A sprain is an acute soft tissue injury when ligaments get torn or stretched excessively. Ligaments are tough fibrous tissues made of collagen that connect the bones and form the different joints found in human bodies. Therefore, sprains are joint injuries, with ankles taking the giant share of most sprain injuries. It's also important to note that sprains are often confused with strains. However, they're distinctly different because the former are injuries to the ligaments in a joint, while the latter are injuries to the muscles.

As we transition in England through yet another NHS organisational change, I ask myself what does this mean for community pharmacy? I would like to think that this change will bring about opportunity and a chance for community pharmacy to showcase and continue the excellent work that was carried out during the height of the pandemic and is still ongoing today. I hope that it allows community pharmacy to be regarded as part of the NHS rather than sitting on the side lines. This change has to lead to better funding for community pharmacy, without sufficient funding we will see more pharmacies close. We are hearing a lot about winter pressures but this year it feels like all year round pressure. What I have seen, whilst the NHS is under such pressure, is North East London (NEL) CCG transitioning to an integrated care board (ICB) almost seamlessly. I have seen people transitioning into new roles, whilst working hard to ensure that all plates are still spinning, which at the moment is no mean feat. I spent a day out recently visiting pharmacies with the chief medical officer of NHS NEL, Dr Paul Gilluley. The visits were positive, we felt listened to and understood. The feedback was great, it was recognised that community pharmacy is often the informal front door to the NHS and that we have so much to offer in terms of ill health prevention. Community pharmacy can offer a total solution as long as we have the tools to do so, which can save so much time and money. An example is the GP CPCS service, which has launched well across NEL.

Usually, when getting pregnant becomes difficult, it leads to a situation where a woman faces infertility issues. As infertility is a never-ending illness in which conceiving becomes impossible either due to health conditions or a poor environment. Here find out the reasons why it becomes challenging to become pregnant?

Penile Yeast infections in men are generally not known due to their lack of awareness. This severe illness can cause a range of infections that will affect hygiene and the fertility rate. And due to increasing cases of infertility in men, it becomes significant to acknowledge cautious infections in men to combat the rising infertility cases.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has urged community pharmacy to plan and ensure patients are able to access their prescription if they have to close in an emergency situation for a short period. It has prepared a guidance which can be undertaken by pharmacy in the event of a closure and the contractor's business can resume easily and effectively once the emergency has passed. In its guidance, PSNC has stated a few actions that can be taken by pharmacy in advance: Plan ahead - be ready before a closure is needed. Don't wait until your pharmacy needs to be closed before you consider how you will manage and what you can put in place to mitigate the impact. Make sure your business continuity plan is up to date and relevant to the current situation. For example, try not to rely on family and friends as part of your plan; if you're having to isolate because of infectious illness, your close contacts may need to do so as well. Ensure your SOPs are accurate, up to date and easy-to-find for someone completely unfamiliar with your pharmacy. Emergency numbers will be crucial. Normal, everyday business continuity issues are still going to arise and anyone on-site needs to know how to address them:

Anxiety disorder often coexist with other mental health conditions such as depression or substance abuse problems. If not treated together, these conditions can make each other worse. Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States. They affect 40 million adults aged 18 and older in the United States, or 18% of the population each year. Anxiety disorders can start at any age, but they often start in childhood or adolescence. Anxiety is causeless. It can be triggered by a stressful situation, such as a job interview or a first date. It can also be caused by an event that has nothing to do with you or your life - for example, if you're on vacation and hear explosions or gunshots outside your hotel room window. Most people with anxiety disorders experience symptoms during their teens and early adulthood, when they are in school or starting their careers. But many people continue to have symptoms into adulthood and beyond. Modvigil 200mg is the best proven drug to treat all the symptoms associated with this disorder.

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."

Fellowship in Critical Care Medicine is a specialized field that focuses on providing intensive care to patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries. It requires a unique set of skills, knowledge, and dedication to deliver optimal care in high-pressure situations.

The Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) will be expanded to enable urgent and emergency care settings to refer patients to a community pharmacist for a consultation for minor illness or urgent medicine supply from Monday (15 May), the DHSC and NHSE said. The service builds on the progress made in GP referrals via the CPCS and hospital referrals under the Discharge Medicine Service. It was originally planned to launch in March, and fee for this service will be the existing CPCS fee of £14, as per the agreement for both year 4 and year 5 of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) 2019 to 2024 5-year deal. In an update on the CPCF, published today (12 May), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) has also committed to the 4 October 2023 launch date for the Tier 2 of the Pharmacy Contraception Service, subject to a positive evaluation of the pilot. The Tier 1 of the service was launched on 24 April, delayed by over three months. This new service enables community pharmacists to provide ongoing management, via a patient group direction (PGD), of routine oral contraception that was initiated in general practice or by a sexual health clinic. The fees for this service are as follows: a fee for each consultation of £18; and a set-up fee of £900, paid in instalments. The Tier 2 will "enable community pharmacists to also initiate oral contraception, via a PGD, and provide ongoing clinical checks and annual reviews," Alette Addison, deputy director for pharmacy, dental and optical at the DHSC and Ali Sparke, director for dentistry, community pharmacy and optometry at the NHSE, said in a letter.

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has published two new handbooks to support pharmacists in providing 'much-needed' mental health services. The federation unveiled "Mental healthcare - A handbook for pharmacists" and "Knowledge and skills reference guide for professional development in mental health care" on Thursday July 7. The handbooks, developed in collaboration with an international group of experts, aim to support pharmacy practice, presenting the many potential mental health care actions that pharmacists can perform, from preventing mental illness and screening for signs to optimising medication and responding to mental health crises. The reference guide is intended to accompany the handbook and defines the knowledge and skills that pharmacists need to acquire to provide such services.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called the future prime minister to deliver on the commitments made by the previous health secretaries to reform primary care through a 'pharmacy first' approach and fairly fund community pharmacies to avoid closures. In an open letter, the NPA has urged Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the two leadership contenders of the Conservative Party and prime ministerial candidates, to think radically about the role of England's 11,000 pharmacies, which are on the frontline of healthcare across the country. NPA also highlighted how pharmacies could help clear the NHS backlog, free up millions more GP appointments, dramatically improve access to primary health care and do more to prevent ill health and support people with long term medical conditions. "Because of our unparalleled presence in deprived areas, we also have great potential to level up access to healthcare and address health inequalities. We set these ideas out in How We Can Help, which is an improvement plan already welcomed by many of your colleagues."