New Pharmaceutical Services Regulations published
Source: Department of Health (DH)
Area: News
The NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/349) have been laid before Parliament and will come into force on 1 April 2013.
These regulations are a consequence of the changes to the NHS architecture in England, and they replace the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2012 and the NHS (Local Pharmaceutical Services etc) Regulations 2006 as the new legislative regime which governs the arrangements for the provision of these services in England.
Please see the link below for details. (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 25, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Systematic review: Clinical effectiveness of first-line chemoradiation for adult patients with locally advanced NSCLC
Source: Health Technol Assess
Area: News
The NHS National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme has published the results of a systematic review, which sought to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of first-line chemoradiation (CTX-RT) for adults with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are suitable for potentially curative treatment.
The authors note that NICE guidelines recommend the use of potentially curative CTX-RT in patients with stage IIIA-IIIB disease who are not amenable to surgery. However it was considered that patients with potentially...
Source: NeLM - News - February 25, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Basal bolus versus basal plus correction insulin regimen for the management of medical and surgical patients with type 2 diabetes
Source: Diabetes Care
Area: News
According to the results of a prospective, multicentre, open-label study published early online in Diabetes Care, the use of a 'basal plus' regimen of insulin (glargine once daily plus corrective doses of glulisine insulin before meals) in the management of general medical and surgical patients with type 2 diabetes results in similar glycaemic control to a standard basal bolus regimen. According to the authors, recent randomised trials have shown that use of a basal bolus insulin regimen for patients with type 2 diabetes who are admitted to general medicine and surgery wards results in low...
Source: NeLM - News - February 25, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Phase III data for omalizumab in the treatment of chronic idiopathic or spontaneous urticaria
Source: NEJM
Area: News
According to the results of an international, multicentre Phase III study published early online in the New England Journal of Medicine, omalizumab at doses of 150mg and 300mg improved outcomes as reported by patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria who had remained symptomatic despite the use of approved doses of H1-antihistamines.
The authors note that the current first-line treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria (also known as chronic spontaneous urticaria) is with non-sedating H1-antihistamines; however the majority of patients will not have a full response to this and will req...
Source: NeLM - News - February 25, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Updated national IV monograph on Atracurium besilate
Source: Medusa
Area: News
An updated IV monograph on Atracurium besilate is now available from the NHS injectable medicines guide website (Medusa). Please see the link below for access (registration required). (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Updated national IV monograph on Oxycodone hydrochloride
Source: Medusa
Area: News
An updated IV monograph on Oxycodone hydrochloride is now available from the NHS injectable medicines guide website (Medusa). Please see the link below for access (registration required). (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Updated national IV monograph on Glyceryl trinitrate
Source: Medusa
Area: News
An updated IV monograph on Glyceryl trinitrate is now available from the NHS injectable medicines guide website (Medusa). Please see the link below for access (registration required). (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Updated New national IM monograph on Levomepromazine
Source: Medusa
Area: News
An updated IV monograph on Levomepromazine is now available from the NHS injectable medicines guide website (Medusa). Please see the link below for access (registration required). (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Updated national IV monograph on Epoprostenol
Source: Medusa
Area: News
An updated IV monograph on Epoprostenol is now available from the NHS injectable medicines guide website (Medusa). Please see the link below for access (registration required). (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Life expectancy increases in Africa with introduction of antiretroviral drugs
Source: BMJ
Area: News
Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for HIV have had a profound effect in Africa on patient treatment and society, two new studies show.
Adult life expectancy had fallen to 49.2 years in 2003 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, based on a rural population cohort of more than 101?000 people who were hard hit by the disease and studied by experts from the Africa Center for Health and Population Studies.
Widespread use of ARV was introduced in September 2004, and life expectancy began to rebound almost immediately. According to the researchers' study published in Science, life expectancy reac...
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Fears of reduced new medicines available to patients in the UK unfounded
Source: BBC Health News
Area: News
Fears the number of new medicines available to patients in the UK is declining have been rejected. Researchers found the number of drugs introduced during the last 30 years had in fact increased slightly, the BMJ Open journal reported.
Researchers came to the conclusion after analysing data in the British National Formulary guide on drugs.
They looked at how many new medicines were added between 1971 and 2011 and reported the following findings:
. The average number of drugs introduced per year was just under 23, varying from nine in the lowest year to 34 ...
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Evaluation of Hypo Awareness Week published
Source: NHS Diabetes
Area: News
An 'Evaluation of the first national Hypo Awareness Week' has been published by NHS Diabetes to highlight key learning from the pioneering national campaign.
NHS Diabetes encouraged hospitals across England to take part in the first-ever national Hypo Awareness Week, between Monday 13th to Sunday 19th of August 2012, to try and reduce incidents of hypoglycaemia.
Participants were sent a link to an electronic pack of materials, and encouraged to hold activities and training, ensure they have fully-stocked hypo kits on their wards and that all staff (including receptioni...
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
DH provides details of the implementation of tariffs for education and training
Source: Department of Health (DH)
Area: News
The details for the implementation of tariffs for education and training have been announced by the Department of Health (DH). Moving to a tariff based system for education and training will enable a national approach to the funding of all clinical placements (both medical and non medical) and postgraduate medical programmes to support a consistency between providers.
The DH has been working with stakeholders since 2008 to develop the tariffs and this included a sample costing exercise to inform the level of tariff.
Having assessed the impact, it has been ...
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
DH launches consultation on legislation on indemnity insurance
Source: Department of Health (DH)
Area: News
A consultation has been launched on legislation that would mean all regulated healthcare professionals have to hold indemnity or insurance to practice.
The consultation will run from 22 February to 17 May 2013 on draft regulations on the requirement for all regulated healthcare professionals to hold an insurance or indemnity arrangement as a condition of their registration with the relevant regulatory body.
Legislation in respect of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland remains the responsibility of the Northern Ireland legislature and is subject ...
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Targaxan® (rifaximin) launched in the UK for hepatic encephalopathy
Source: EMC
Area: News
Targaxan® (rifaximin) tablets have been launched in the UK for reducing recurrence of episodes of overt hepatic encephalopathy in adult patients. Rifaximin is already licensed in the UK as the brand name Xifaxanta® for the treatment of travellers' diarrhoea.
The NHS list price is £259.23 for 56 tablets (Source: NeLM - News)
Source: NeLM - News - February 22, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
