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The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA), the trade body for off-patent medicines, has made several recommendations to alleviate medicine shortages, which not only have serious consequences for patients but also increase workloads for pharmacists. England is currently experiencing twice as many medicine shortages as it did two years ago, with some products remaining out of stock for many months, the BGMA reveals in a report, noting that "the vast majority are commonly used generic medicines." "We have witnessed the number of products facing supply challenges double in the past two years and remain at a high level since September 2023," says BGMA chief executive Mark Samuels. In its report titled 'Solutions to UK medicines shortages' published on 1 October 2024, the BGMA proposes policy changes to tackle medicine shortages, including incorporating supply chain resilience and past performance in hospital medicines tenders. "Tender scoring should include whether supply issues were reported with adequate notice. Suppliers should be informed of changes in prescribing more quickly," the report says.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has submitted evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pharmacy inquiry into medicines shortages in England. In its submission, the organisation has called on the government to develop a national strategy to address medicine shortages and change legislation to allow community pharmacists to amend prescriptions when medicines are in short supply. Tase Oputu, RPS England Board chair, welcomed the inquiry, and emphasised that medicines shortages continue to impact patients and the work of pharmacists daily. The RPS's evidence draws on its report, Medicines Shortages: Solutions for Shelves, which examines the issue in detail. The report revealed that pharmacy teams are spending more time chasing medicines supplies, identifying and switching patients to alternative medicines, taking their time away from other clinical activities.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published updated guidance on online pharmacy services in Great Britain, introducing additional safeguards to prevent unsafe supply of high-risk medicines, including weight loss injections. Under the new rules, medicines used for weight-management and medicines requiring physical examination before a prescribing decision is made have been added to the list of high-risk medicines. When prescribing these medicines, prescribers can no longer rely solely on online questionnaires. Instead, they must independently verify patient information, either through timely two-way communication with the person, accessing the person's clinical records, or contacting the person's GP, their regular prescriber, or a third-party provider. These measures aim to prevent individuals from providing false information to obtain medicines that may not be clinically appropriate for them, reducing potential harm. The pharmacy regulator updated its guidance in response to concerns identified relating to unsafe prescribing and supply of medicines online.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in England and 19 other organisations have written to health secretary Wes Streeting, calling for a cohesive cross-government strategy to tackle medicine shortages across the UK. The letter stresses the need for actions to build supply chain resilience, support UK manufacturing, improve data connectivity, protect access to life-critical medicines, and reduce duplication across the NHS. As the government works on its 10-Year NHS Plan, the signatories emphasise the importance of ensuring patients' continued access to vital medicines, which are "an investment in their health." They underscore that the strategy would require engagement by the government across the NHS and the whole of the medicines supply chain, including manufacturers, suppliers, health professions, and patients. The letter also highlights that delays in accessing medicines could be reduced by changing legislation to empower community pharmacists to make minor amendments to prescriptions when shortages occur.

The NHS in Suffolk and North East Essex has launched a new campaign to reduce the amount of unused medicines that cost the NHS around £300 million a year. Across the UK, it is estimated that £100 million worth of medicines are returned to pharmacies, with an additional £90 million of unused prescription medicines stored in homes. Through social media, posters, and videos, people are encouraged to return unused prescriptions to pharmacies and avoid stockpiling or throwing them away. Reducing medicines waste not only saves money that can be reinvested into patient care within the NHS, but it's also better for the environment. Tania Farrow, who is leading the campaign on behalf of NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), highlighted that everyone has a part to play in reducing medicines waste.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has cautioned against buying weight-loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, unregistered pharmacy websites or social media platforms as such products could pose "serious health risks." Consumers are reminded that the only safe way to obtain genuine weight-loss medication is through a legitimate pharmacy, including licensed online pharmacies, with a prescription from a qualified healthcare professional. To combat the illegal sale of these medicines, the MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit is working closely with social media platforms, technology companies, the police and Border Force. Andy Morling, MHRA deputy director of Criminal Enforcement, highlighted the dangers of purchasing these medications from unverified sources: "At this time of year, with many of us thinking about shedding a little excess weight, we see people offering weight loss medicines for sale as a quick fix, without a healthcare professional's prescription, from beauty salons, websites and on social media. "These are not cosmetic treatments; they are powerful medicines that can only be legally and safely dispensed against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional."

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has notified pharmacy teams that starting 1 August 2024, three Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) medicines will be discontinued and will no longer be covered under the NHS HRT Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC) scheme. These are Bedol® 2mg tablets, Climanor® 5mg tablets and Clinorette® tablets. Since Climanor® 5mg tablets have been discontinued, Medroxyprogesterone 5mg tablets will also be removed from the HRT PPC list, as this generic product is no longer available as a licensed HRT medicine. The CPE also noted that Provera® 5mg tablets, being an unlicensed HRT medicine, are not covered by the HRT PPC. Pharmacy staff are advised to check the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website for the most current list of HRT medicines covered by the HRT PPC. The CPE has updated its HRT PPC medicines list to reflect these changes, which will also be updated in Part XVI of the August 2024 Drug Tariff.

In response to a recent Parliamentary question regarding pharmacy reimbursement, pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock stated that pharmacies were permitted to retain £850 million from the medicine margin for 2023/24. The medicine margin represents the difference between the product price reimbursed by the National Health Service (NHS) and the price at which pharmacies buy them. Rebecca Smith, the Conservative MP for South West Devon, inquired about the number and proportion of community pharmacies that had dispensed medications at a loss over the past three years. Kinnock replied that they do not hold this information, and explained that community pharmacy reimbursement arrangements "do not aim to ensure that every pharmacy is paid as much or more than it paid for every product, but aims overall to reimburse as much as they were bought for, plus the allowed medicine margin." Additionally, the minister highlighted that as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) for 2023/24, pharmacies are allowed to retain "£850 million from the medicine margin, on top of what they are paid for the medicines they purchase as part of providing NHS services."

A new report from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has called on the government to create a national strategy to manage medicine shortages and to change legislation to empower community pharmacists to amend prescriptions when medicines are in short supply. Currently, patients are required to return to their GP to get their prescriptions amended, leading to delayed access to medication, increased bureaucracy, and additional strain on an already overburdened system. The RPS report, backed by charities and patient groups, proposes allowing pharmacists to make minor amendments, such as adjusting the quantity, strength, or form of prescribed medicines to ensure timely access for patients. Additionally, the report highlighted key factors causing medicine shortages, including manufacturing and supply chain issues, exacerbated by cost pressures and consolidation of manufacturing outlets. This along with unplanned spikes in demand, such as shifts in prescribing practice or increased diagnosis of some conditions, have created "a perfect storm of unstable supply"

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pharmacy has launched an inquiry into the ongoing issue of medicines shortages in England, focusing on their impact, contributing factors and potential solutions. As part of this inquiry, the APPG has issued a call for written evidence from key stakeholders across the healthcare sector, including pharmacists, pharmacy teams, GPs, prescribers, patient groups, professional organisations and medicines manufacturers and distributors. This inquiry comes in response to the growing concerns about the impact of medicines shortages on patient care and the challenges faced by pharmacy teams in dispensing medicines in a timely way. The APPG aims to develop practical recommendations to address this ongoing challenge and its impact.

A new report has highlighted that the public places a higher value on medicines for severe medical conditions, such as terminal cancer, than the thresholds currently used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The study, conducted by the Office of Health Economics (OHE), found a misalignment between NICE's current 'severity modifier'-which determines whether a medicine is recommended for coverage on the National Health Service (NHS)-and the UK public's preference for prioritising health gains for more severe diseases. The research, commissioned and funded by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), also indicated that the public is willing to pay more for medicines used to treat patients with severe disease. Titled 'Understanding Societal Preferences for Priority by Disease Severity in England and Wales,' the report suggested that NICE's current severity modifier may be limiting access to innovative treatments for NHS patients. The ABPI has called on the government and NICE to adopt a more flexible approach when assessing medicines for severe conditions.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has on Friday approved leniolisib phosphate (Joenja) to treat a rare immune disease known as activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome or APDS in adults and adolescents aged 12-years-old and older who weigh 45kg or more. The medicine was approved via a fast-track approval process for medicines, known as the International Recognition Procedure (IRP), which allows the MHRA to consider the expertise and decision-making of trusted regulatory partners for the benefit of UK patients. The decision follows an approval for the drug by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is the first time the MHRA has approved a new medicine following FDA approval. The MHRA said it considered the assessment made by the US regulator as part of its own review, facilitating a rapid approval process. APDS is an inherited disorder where the patient is unable to fight infections because the immune system does not work properly. The main symptoms usually occur in the first two years of life and include repeated lung infections and a failure to grow and develop normally.

A PAGB report has emphasised the need to empower the public to practice self-care and improve access to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to alleviate pressure on GPs and reduce NHS costs. Launched at the Labour Party Conference today, the PAGB's State of the Nation report explores the current state of self-care and OTC medicines. The report outlines 11 recommendations for the government to consider as part of its strategy to build an NHS fit for the future. It highlights that each year, at least 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits are used for self-treatable illnesses, which can be effectively managed through self-care. The report suggests that empowering individuals to utilise OTC medicines could save the NHS at least £1.7 billion per year in costs. Furthermore, it says that eliminating these appointments could save the economy an additional £350m per year, as employees would not need to take time off work for unnecessary treatments. PAGB welcomed the government's manifesto commitments to take pressure off GP surgeries by "improving access to services and treatment through new routes" and to expand the role of pharmacists.

Laganside Crown Court, on Friday, sentenced Gerard Cullinan, a 48-year-old pharmacist and Director of Castlereagh Pharmacy Ltd in East Belfast, for unlawfully supplying controlled prescription medicines, including co-codamol and fentanyl, and for failing to maintain controlled drugs registers. Cullinan was sentenced to 11 months imprisonment, suspended for three years, and his pharmacy was fined £8,000. The sentencing follows an investigation by the Department of Health's Medicines Regulatory Group (MRG), which uncovered that Cullinan's pharmacy on Castlereagh Road had illegally supplied over 300,000 co-codamol tablets between January 2017 and June 2020. Additionally, the MRG investigation identified significant breaches in record-keeping for Class A controlled drugs such as fentanyl, tapentadol, methylphenidate, morphine, and oxycodone. "It is a serious criminal offence to sell or supply prescription only medicines without a prescription," said Peter Moore, Senior Medicines Enforcement Officer at the MRG, who led the investigation.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has partnered with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and several national pharmacy leadership organisations from four different global regions to launch a humanitarian relief campaign called 'Medicines to Gaza'. Building on the success of the 'Medicines to Ukraine' campaign, which raised over £4.5 million in collaboration with European pharmacy organisations, the PDA is now extending its humanitarian efforts to support those in need in Gaza. Mark Koziol, PDA chair, said: "I am enormously proud that we have been able to persuade FIP and the national pharmacy leadership organisations from across four different regions of the world to join this important initiative and this is just the start. "This gives significant capacity for our profession to work together to bring humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza." The PDA's 'Medicines To' campaign was endorsed by FIP at its annual conference last year, where South Africa became the first country to officially sign up. Since then, 12 countries have pledged their participation. The campaign aims to provide pharmacy support during humanitarian crises worldwide.

A recent report by the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) has shed light on ongoing supply challenges in England's generic medicines market, revealing significant issues impacting patient care. The report highlights significant challenges faced in supply of medicines as currently, 51.72 per cent of generics in short supply lack licensed alternatives, posing substantial hurdles to ensuring continuous patient care. Additionally, 39.08 per cent of affected generics are branded, indicating widespread disruptions across the market. A notable 26.44 per cent of generics experiencing shortages have been affected for over six months, highlighting persistent difficulties in supply chain management. The report indicates that 0.15 per cent of generic medicine presentations listed in the Drug Tariff are currently facing supply issues, impacting accessibility nationwide.

In a surprising move that has divided the pharmacy profession, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has sanctioned hundreds of pharmacies to allow patients to self-select certain Pharmacy (P) medicines, a decision met with strong opposition from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) as well as from the Pharmacy Defense Association (PDA). In a statement, RPS shared that at a board meeting held on 19th June, they expressed "disappointment" over what they described as a lack of prior consultation and comprehensive communication from the GPhC regarding the implications of this policy shift. They argue that allowing patients to self-select certain P medicines could potentially jeopardize established professional guidelines and compromise the role of pharmacists in ensuring safe medication use. "Enabled by the General Pharmaceutical Council, we understand that hundreds of pharmacies, from large multiples to small independents, have been approved by the regulator to enable patients to self-select certain P medicines," the statement said.

A recently published report on medicines optimisation highlights the urgent need for transformative changes across all pharmacies to unlock their full potential in delivering integrated care. The report by Public Policy Projects (PPP) is first of the four in the series that emphasises the significant benefits that medicines optimisation can bring to integrated care systems (ICSs). This includes reducing health inequalities and improving population health. Pointing to the "untapped opportunity" that medicines optimisation presents for ICSs facing financial challenges, the report underscores the vital role of pharmacies in enhancing patient outcomes. The launch of the Pharmacy First services has already demonstrated the essential contribution of pharmacies to the health and care system. With "medicines being the second highest cost to the NHS," the report recommends ways "to achieve better value for money while improving patient outcomes".

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can empower customers and pave the way for a sustainable healthcare future. By embracing OTC products, pharmacies can achieve greater freedom, stability, and enhanced profitability. In our exclusive interview with Anna Maxwell, founder and CEO of pioneering consumer healthcare company Maxwellia, we explore their game-changing pharmacy brands leading the way in self-care. Why pharmacies should embrace OTC medicines? There's never been a more critical time for pharmacies to lean into the OTC space. Right now, about 90 per cent of pharmacy income in the UK is tied to NHS funding-a model that's increasingly unsustainable.[1] We all value the NHS, but it simply can't afford to cover every treatment at the point of use indefinitely. If pharmacies could achieve even a modest shift in NHS reliance this would mean more freedom, stability, and profitability for the business. OTC medicines are the key to making that happen, offering a way to quickly provide, effective treatments that help customers while reducing the administrative and financial burdens on pharmacists.

The most difficult task that comes in a user's mind about purchasing online medicines is how to trust an online pharmacy. So here is the list of some suggestions that you can follow while ordering medicines online on the internet. To order prescription drugs online you can also call/Whatsapp at +91-9953330666 or email at info@pillsbills.com.