Clinical

‘Deeply concerning’ decision to end gluten-free scripts to save £250k

 
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The decision by a local NHS ICB to completely end gluten-free product prescriptions to save £250,000 has been met with widespread disapproval from patients who were consulted on proposed changes.

CVS slapped with nationwide lawsuit over ‘unlawful’ opioid prescriptions

 
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The US DOJ has filed a lawsuit against CVS alleging its “actions helped to fuel the opioid crisis” as it “prioritized corporate profits over patient safety”.

‘Superior weight loss’ drug: Mounjaro squashing rival Wegovy

 
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Patients using weight loss drugs in the UK have overwhelmingly opted for Mounjaro over Wegovy in the last six months, PharmaDoctor data has revealed.


Eating disorder sufferer takes 3 A&E trips after taking Lloyds online doctor Mounjaro

 
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Ex-social-media-influencer Georgie Aldous, who was able to take weight loss jab Mounjaro despite suffering with an eating disorder, has warned followers that the drug is “not worth the risk”.

Welsh government reveals plans for pharmacy PrEP pilot

 
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A pilot scheme making HIV drug pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) “more accessible” via community pharmacies is set to begin in autumn 2025, the Welsh government has told C+D.

Trump calls for investigation into link between vaccines and autism

 
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The US President-elect Donald Trump has called for an investigation into the link between vaccines and autism – a debunked claim – and has said his health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr will be “working with” drug companies to find out “what’s happening”.


CPE targets nurseries and schools with Pharmacy First checklist

 
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Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has launched a new checklist, along with other resources, to promote Pharmacy First services in nurseries and schools.

‘Scandal’: Online IPs set ‘one weight loss script every 4 mins’ target

 
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An online pharmacy has come under fire for “treating injectable medications like grocery items at a Lidl checkout”.

Mounjaro: NICE sets out £317m annual NHS weight loss jab rollout

 
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The “first” NHS Mounjaro patients of a possible 3.4 million are set to receive the weight loss jab by March 2025, NICE has revealed in new draft guidance, while the first generic GLP-1 weight loss drug could soon follow.


CCA calls for pharmacy BP checks to treble amid GP bid to stop them

 
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The CCA has said there is an “urgent need to scale up” hypertension screening services in pharmacies despite GP leaders voting for these services to be “terminated with immediate effect”.

Coroner: Young man overdosed after receiving double script from P2U and Lloydspharmacy

 
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The inquest of a 22-year-old patient who received his prescription twice due to a “prescribing error” has raised concerns over Pharmacy2U’s “swift dispatch of medication”.

Draft HIV guidance backs website selling PrEP for Bitcoin

 
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The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has warned about “patient safety” after discovering that draft HIV guidance directs patients to purchase pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) from a website using cryptocurrency.


Coroner: Patient overdoses after ‘excess’ bank holiday diazepam and codeine scripts

 
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A 78-year-old woman has overdosed after being given excess diazepam and codeine she was “addicted to” ahead of an Easter bank holiday weekend, a coroner has found.

'Real-life drama': Pharmacy treats acute asthma attack during TV interview

 
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STV production staff have caught a glimpse of real-life pharmacy “critical scenarios” during an interview with Community Pharmacy Scotland’s (CPS) chief executive.

Third of public think NHS ‘should not’ offer weight loss jabs

 
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A third of people believe that the NHS “should not” offer weight loss injections “to people who are obese”, an Ipsos survey has revealed.


exclusive

‘High volumes’: Fifth pharmacy suspended from Pharmacy First

 
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Another pharmacy has been suspended from the Pharmacy First service, with its integrated care board (ICB) citing “high volumes” and “the types of conditions referred” as reasons, C+D has learned.

Change legislation so pharmacists can amend prescriptions, says RPS

 
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The RPS has called on the government to change legislation to allow community pharmacists to amend prescriptions when medicines are in short supply, a new report published today (November 26) has said.

breaking news

In full: ‘We cannot afford a race to the bottom’: GP leaders vote for an ‘immediate’ end to pharmacy blood pressure checks

 
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GP leaders have voted “overwhelmingly” for pharmacy blood pressure checks to be “terminated with immediate effect” at the BMA’s annual GP conference – also calling for Pharmacy First to be “immediately discontinued” and funds “redirected” into general practice.


Boots launches £245 private RSV vaccination service

 
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Boots has launched a private respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination service in 75 stores across the UK for those who aren’t eligible for a free NHS vaccination.

Pharmacy sore throat services provide antibiotics less than GPs, study reveals

 
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A study of Welsh sore throat services has found that 24% of pharmacy consultations ended with an antibiotic prescription, compared with 39% of GP consultations.