Supermarket cough medicines recalled over ‘foreign material’

 

A manufacturer is recalling several batches of cough medicine, including some it produces for Tesco and Asda, after “foreign material” was found in some bottles.

‘Open every day since 1952’: Wicker Pharmacy celebrates 73 years

 

Award-winning Wicker Pharmacy in Sheffield has celebrated 73 years of late opening “every single day”.

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ICB investigating plunge in Pharmacy First GP referrals

 
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A London integrated care board (ICB) is “working to understand” a national dip in Pharmacy First referrals from GPs in the summer, C+D has learned.


Weight loss jabs linked to ‘reduced risk’ of Alzheimer’s and dementia

 
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The use of weight loss drugs has been associated with a “reduced risk of substance use” and “neurocognitive disorders” including Alzheimer’s and dementia – along with a handful of other illnesses – a new study has revealed.

US pharmacy groups made billions from ‘critical drug’ price hikes

 
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A US government report has found that three of the country’s largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) “hiked costs” of “lifesaving drugs” including cancer and HIV treatments by “thousands of percent” between 2017 and 2022.

Coroner: Patient overdosed after pharmacy ‘welfare concern’ missed

 
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A coroner has warned that the lack of “communication between primary and secondary care” may lead to the “early death” of more patients, after an NHS trust was not made aware of a pharmacy’s warning.


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RPS planning to vote on ‘Royal College’ status in March

 
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A vote on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) bid to become a royal college is expected to be held in March, C+D has learned.

WBA sued for pharmacist pressure to dispense ‘millions of unlawful scripts’

 
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The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has claimed that Boots’ parent company “systematically pressured its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly”, despite clear “red flags” and patient deaths.

New pharmacy tech apprentice scheme ‘fully booked’ in one day

 
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All of the places on a new pharmacy technician apprenticeship programme have already been filled on the day it launched, organisers have revealed.


Ex-Asda pharmacy boss joins Boots after ‘mutual’ decision to leave

 
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Boots has appointed a new pharmacy boss, Simon Gregg, who will step into the position next week after leaving his role as Asda’s chief retail officer.

GPhC warns professor for asking student to ‘view a film together’

 
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An assistant professor has been warned for “entirely inappropriate” conduct, including instant messaging a student exam marks early and asking them to watch a movie with him.

‘Very little appetite’ to widen pharmacy vaccine delivery role

 
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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called on the government to commission pharmacies to deliver “all vaccines” amid claims there is “very little appetite currently” to give them a greater role in vaccine delivery.


Repeat paracetamol use linked to ‘serious complications’ in over-65s

 
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A study of over half-a-million over-65s has found links between repeatedly taking paracetamol and complications including gastrointestinal bleeding and heart failure.

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AI eBay algorithm blocks two million illegal medicine sales

 
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Multinational e-commerce company eBay worked “closely” with the MHRA last year to block almost two million unregulated medicine “violations” before they were sold to the public, C+D has learned.


Two thirds of pharmacy owners want to buy or sell in 2025, reveal pharmacy brokers

 
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68% of UK pharmacy owners surveyed by pharmacy brokers Christie & Co want to “buy and/or sell” in 2025, as the average price of pharmacies sold and asking price achieved in 2024 both dropped according to a new report.

Morrisons rolls out free ‘drinking checks’ across pharmacies

 
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Alcohol harm charity Drinkaware has announced the rollout of a free “drinking check” in all of Morrisons’ 117 pharmacies across the UK to assess the “drinking habits” of customers.

Superdrug union recognition ‘secret ballot’ to launch next week

 
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The PDA has confirmed that a “secret postal ballot” will take place later this month to secure union recognition at Superdrug, with results expected in mid-February.


Strep A: Toddler died after ‘delay’ in receiving out-of-stock antibiotics, coroner warns

 
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A toddler with a Strep A infection was given antibiotics too late after a pharmacist could not issue alternative medication during shortages due to restrictions, a coroner has found.

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IN FULL: NPA sets out five contract demands - or collective action

 
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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has set out five “tests” for a funding deal and warned that it will “not hesitate” to recommend collective action if these are not met.