The internet has made it quick and easy for people to fill their prescriptions from a doctor, or buy over the counter medication with a click of a mouse. But a new study has found that online-only pharmacies, as opposed to internet versions of UK high street pharmacies, often don’t require prescriptions for antibiotics and […]
Read More… from Online pharmacies fuelling antibiotic resistance
The RPS has released a new video highlighting how pharmacists can improve patient care in Accident and Emergency Departments. It shows what a specially-trained pharmacist can achieve in A&E and the impact the role has had on other health professionals in the department. […]
Thousands of years after humans discovered the pain-relieving effects of resin from opium poppies, clinicians still rely on opioids, which are drugs derived from poppies or synthetic versions, to treat severe pain, which reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain. Opioids bind to specific receptors in the nerve system, mimicking a natural neurotransmitter […]
All organisations are required to have governance arrangements in place to ensure the safe storage, management and use of controlled drugs in line with the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Controlled Drugs Regulations 2013. Assurance in adhering to the legal requirements has been a challenge to the Accountable Officers in hospitals over the years […]
Scientists at the University of Aberdeen have developed a technique to save more lives by vaccinating fewer people. They have done this by using a mathematical model to pick up ‘superblockers’ – those people who are most like to transmit infection because of their lifestyle and activities or because they are highly mobile, moving through different communities. […]
‘When people think of cannabis, they usually think of the recreational drug and the psychoactive compound THC. However, another very important component of cannabis, also known as hemp, is cannabidiol (CBD) which has no ‘high’ or side effects associated with cannabis. Indeed, it has many proven health benefits. Studies show that CBD has an impact […]
The problem of antibiotic resistance is real and it has to be tackled on many fronts. The scale of the problem should not be underestimated. It is no longer a worry for the future, it is happening right now in many parts of the world including the UK. We are already seeing bacteria becoming resistant […]
When does the flu season start and why should people have the jab done now? How long does it take to ‘work’? The Flu season tends to begin as the months get colder. The vaccine can take between 10 to 14 days to become effective so the sooner eligible individuals receive their jab once vaccine […]
Have you heard about the NHS trust that recently introduced an incredibly brutal, and possibly illegal, form of drug rationing to save money? Patients suffering post-operative pain will get half the dose normally required to keep them comfortable, kidney dialysis will be done twice a week rather than three and all diabetics will get the […]
Thousands of years after humans discovered the pain-relieving effects of resin from opium poppies, clinicians still rely in opioids to treat severe pain, which reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain. Medications that fall within this class include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet) and morphine (Kadian) and codeine. ‘Opiods still work best for […]