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The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced that the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved Ponvory (ponesimod) for treating adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) within NHS Scotland. Ponesimod offers an additional treatment choice for the ailment, which affects over 15,000 people in Scotland. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in which immune cells attack myelin, causing inflammation. The common symptoms of this disease include fatigue, balance and walking problems, numbness or tingling, dizziness and vertigo. Amanda Cunnington, director of Health Economics, Market Access, Reimbursement, Government Affairs & Patient Engagement, Janssen-Cilag Limited said: "This decision further supports our commitment to ensuring patients living with this condition have access to new treatment options to help address some of the life-long and life-limiting symptoms of MS.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has issued an advisory information to community pharmacy contractors about Paxlovid antiviral treatment for non-hospitalised patients. "Patients will be assessed to see if they meet the criteria for inclusion and will need careful checking to see if Paxlovid therapy is safe due to the significant number of drug interactions. Assessment and prescribing are provided via dedicated services with dispensing and supply arranged by the central supply service or via participating community pharmacies," said the PDA. Every pharmacist can support this service by making themselves familiar with the service set up in their area. This is so that they can provide advice and signpost to healthcare colleagues and patients. Pharmacists working in general practice may also be able to help with identifying newly diagnosed highest risk patients. Whilst most of this group should have already been identified and contacted, no system is entirely foolproof. The PDA's advisory note provides information around indemnity and links to information about the prescribing and administration of Paxlovid since it is being provided under a temporary authorisation, and is subject to numerous drug-drug interactions, and is a recommended first-line treatment.

The 21st edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards have been postponed due to a dramatic rise in the number of Omicron cases nationwide in recent months. The in-person event - initially scheduled to be held on February 3 - will now be held on Wednesday March 23 in central London. The awards dinner hosted by the Asian Media Group - owners of Pharmacy Business - was initially scheduled to be held on February 3. "Given the uncertainties around Omicron and the impact it could have on our community, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone the twenty-first edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards," an AMG spokesperson said, adding: "We feel this is the best and safest decision for our award winners, guests and partners."

Community pharmacies played a central role in the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering more than 22 million jabs in the past 12 months. Besides delivering millions of jabs, latest figures from NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) revealed a 50 per cent increase in the number of pharmacies delivering Covid boosters compared from October 2021 to January 2022. NHSE&I released the data on Friday (January 14) to thank community pharmacy teams for their work during the crisis time. Lauding the efforts made by community pharmacy teams during the pandemic, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) director of NHS Services Alastair Buxton said: "Just over a year ago we were fighting for Government recognition of the part community pharmacy could play in administering Covid vaccines, so a year later it is great to see the efforts of the pharmacy vaccination sites being praised by NHSE&I, with recognition of the significant role they have played in the overall programme.

Prime minister Boris Johnson received his Covid-19 booster shot on Thursday (December 2) and urged others to follow suit to help the country fend off the Omicron variant of coronavirus. Wearing a mask, Johnson briefly chatted to staff and others queuing for their shots at the vaccination centre in central London, asking them if they were there to receive a booster dose and thanking them for attending. Johnson, who said it could "have gone either way" when he was treated in hospital for Covid last year, was later filmed rolling up his shirt sleeve and receiving his shot. "Fantastic. Thank you so much," he said to the nurse, before receiving a badge that said "I've boosted my immunity".

Alliance Healthcare UK has won a 'special achievement' award for its work during the Covid-19 pandemic at the Logistics UK Awards 2021. The pharmaceutical wholesaler and it's subsidiary, Alloga UK - a specialist provider of supply chain solutions for healthcare manufacturers - received the 'Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Response to Covid' at an event held in central London on Thursday, December 9, 2021 - beating off stiff competition from a number of high profile challengers. Alliance Healthcare's new managing director Marie Evans said: "I am delighted that our business and team of 6,000 colleagues have been recognised at this level for our contribution to the fight against Covid-19. Our main aim over this unprecedented period is to support the NHS, pharmacy and all UK patients, and this award is true recognition for all of that hard work and dedication." The special award category was open to an individual or organization that demonstrated an outstanding response to the pandemic in 2020 within the logistics sector and included seven other nominees including the likes of National Highways, Hermes UK and Yodel.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is to host a reception at St James's Palace in early May to celebrate exemplary work of community pharmacist during the Coronavirus pandemic. Up to 200 community pharmacists have been invited by Prince Charles to the event organised to "celebrate community pharmacists", which commences at 5:30pm on Wednesday, May 4 at the London residence of the Prince of Wales. The invitation comes in less than six months after Prince Charles praised community pharmacists for their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic in a video message sent to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA)'s centenary dinner at Apothecaries' Hall in central London in November last year. He said throughout the pandemic pharmacy teams' "commitment to patient care has never wavered, despite the many enormous pressures you have faced. "During this pandemic period, we have learned, as never before, that pharmacies are one of those vital places where science and society meet. Crucially, they are about people and places, not just pills."

The Indian government has suspended manufacturing in over 40 pharmaceutical companies based on a risk-based assessment conducted earlier in the year across 162 firms, according to the data provided by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Parliament on Thursday (Aug. 10). "Overall, a sum of 143 show-cause notices has been issued," Mandaviya said. There have been numerous recent incidents involving accusations from foreign countries regarding the contamination of syrups, eye drops, and ointments manufactured in India. Countries such as the Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Cameroon have linked the deaths of 70, 18, and six children, respectively, to cough syrups contaminated in India. Licenses for specific products have been either temporarily suspended or fully revoked for an additional 66 companies. In one case, an FIR has been registered, and in 21 cases, warning letters have been issued following inspections by both the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and State authorities, the Minister added. Meanwhile, the Indian government has mandated rigorous testing for cough syrups before export. Starting June 1, any cough syrup must possess a government laboratory-issued certificate of analysis before being exported, the government said in a notice dated May 22.

The Home Affairs Committee has called upon the government to revise its current drug policy, moving away from the exclusive 'abstinence only' approach towards a more practical strategy that highlights harm reduction. The HAC's recommendations also include the introduction of a national naloxone programme in England, with community pharmacies playing a central role in facilitating access. The committee published its comprehensive report on August 31, with key recommendations, including the 'urgent' reclassification of psychedelic drugs for therapeutic research; a pilot safe consumption facility program (long resisted by the Westminster Government despite Scottish lobbying); and enhanced provision and research on cannabis-based medicinal products (CBPMs). The report urged the establishment of a national naloxone programme in England, aligning with devolved nations. It also highlighted the role of community pharmacists and peer initiatives for effective distribution and administration. Furthermore, the report emphasises enhanced naloxone distribution for prison leavers. Naloxone is a medication capable of rapidly reversing heroin or methadone overdoses, potentially saving lives.

The General Pharmaceutical Council's Fitness-to-Practise (FtP) committee has reversed its earlier decision ruling that a London pharmacist's statement, attributing the Grenfell tragedy to "Zionist supporters of the Tory party," amounted to the propagation of anti-Semitic tropes. In an initial 2020 hearing, the FtP committee found that a set of remarks delivered by Nazim Hussain Ali, Managing Partner of Chelsea Pharmacy Medical Clinic, through a megaphone to a crowd assembled at a Palestinian rights rally in central London in 2017 were deemed "grossly offensive," but not classified as anti-Semitic. Ali admitted his comments were offensive, but he was cleared of accusations of antisemitism and received a first warning on November 5, 2020. However, the High Court overturned this decision in June 2021 following an appeal by the Professional Standards Authority as the Judge found evidence of a "serious procedural or other irregularity" in the FtP committee's decision and instructed the GPhC to reopen the case.

The recent data released by the NHS England revealed that in 2022/23 nearly 86 million antidepressant items were prescribed to around 8.6 million identified patients. According to the statistic published on 'Medicines Used in Mental Health' of the 5 British National Formulary (BNF) sections, 4 had increases in items and identified patients across 2022/23. The only BNF section to decrease since 2021/22 was hypnotics and anxiolytics. Items fell by 2% to 14 million and identified patients fell by 2 per cent to 1.9 million in 2022/23 The data also revealed that Prescribing of Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulants and drugs for ADHD increased by 32 per cent in adults over 18 and 12 per cent in children 17 and under. "2022/23 was the first time that more adult patients have been prescribed drugs from this section than child patients, in the time period covered by these statistics," said the report.

STADA has appointment Nigel Stephenson as General Manager UK with effect from 1 August 2023. Based in Huddersfield, UK, Stephenson will report directly to STADA's Head of Western Europe and Germany, Stephan Eder. He will take over from Rudolf Bär, who has successfully led the UK business for almost one year in addition to his responsibilities for STADA's Mid-Sized European Markets.| A dynamic and modern commercial leader with extensive experience in sales and marketing across Western, Central and Eastern Europe, and the UK in leading pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare and fast-moving consumer goods companies. He joins STADA from consumer healthcare leader Haleon, where he most recently served as General Manager Switzerland. "With his strong people and results orientation, along with deep purpose-driven engagement, Nigel will support our UK team in realizing its full potential through innovative and inclusive leadership," stated Eder.

Several medium-sized pharmacy chains and multiples in Scotland are increasing in size by purchasing numerous LloydsPharmacy sites that were closed last month. The Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) Regional Committees met to dwell on the issues faced by the community pharmacists across the UK. The PDA's Scottish regional committee highlighted the impact of Lloyds Pharmacy's closure in their third committee meeting of 2023. It said: "Davidsons who have purchased various businesses in Tayside. Rowlands has purchased 30 branches across central Scotland and the PDA has been in touch with members affected. These members will be supported to ensure that they are properly subject to a TUPE transfer (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) as they should be when a business changes ownership." Most discussion amongst the Scottish Regional Committee members was around community pharmacy. Reports suggest that negotiations between the Scottish government and the pharmacy owners' body, Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) have broken down. As the independent voice of the frontline employed and locum pharmacists that deliver the contract, the PDA wants to see an agreement found for the benefit of patients, taxpayers, and health professionals.

Hypoglycemia: a Better Approach Course is organized by Dietitian Central. This condition typically arises from abnormalities in the mechanisms involved in glucose homeostasis.

Restricting sales of vape products to pharmacies is not a solution to curb illegal sales of vape among underage adults, said UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA). In an oral evidence at the House of Commons on 'Youth Vaping' called by the Health and Social Care Select Committee (HSSC) to figure out action needed to reduce vaping among those under 18. Rachael Maskell, York Central MP's suggested on vape products being available from licensed pharmacies. Marcus Saxton, Chairman, Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) said: "We are calling for further regulation to tighten up what has now been an extreme growth in single-use products. If you put them into those environments, as New Zealand and Australia are telling us, the perception of the public is that, while they can buy tobacco freely anywhere, the vaping product that is up to 95% safer is licensed through a pharmacy. It makes absolutely no sense. The negative consequence of considering such a thing will take us backwards years."

The pharmacy inquiry will explore issues impacting different types of pharmacy, with a particular focus on community, primary care and hospital pharmacy services. It will also consider current challenges around funding, workforce and the digital infrastructure. Planned developments within the profession will enable future pharmacists to be independent prescribers from day one of registration, giving them a greater role within primary care teams. Health and Social Care Committee Chair Steve Brine MP said: "It is clear that pharmacy has a central role to play in the future of the NHS. With a greater focus on personalised and patient-centred healthcare, we will be asking what more must be done to make sure that the profession is in the best shape to meet demand. "Better use of the pharmacy workforce would reduce pressures on general practice and hospitals. However, this will not happen without a planned workforce with the funding, supervision and training to support it. "At the end of the inquiry, the committee will be making recommendations to the government on what action needs to be taken to ensure the potential of pharmacy is realised.

Endocrinology: Understanding Nutrition for Hypothyroidism is organized by Dietitian Central

Functional Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Assessment and Treatment Options is organized by Dietitian Central.

Understanding Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): Babies Addicted to Drugs is organized by Nursing CE Central.

Adenovirus Infection in Pediatric Populations is organized by Nursing CE Central, this course is intended for Nurses.