August 2010
Irregular script wake-up call
Pharmacists are being reminded to exercise judgement when supplying large quantities of medicines with a potential for misuse after a doctor was struck off the register for irregular prescribing.
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Anti-coagulation pilot approved
Fifteen community pharmacies will work alongside general practices in a country-wide pilot to provide Anti-coagulation Management Service (AMS) to atrial fibrillation patients.
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GPs question prescribing scope
The Royal NZ College of GPs will work with the Pharmacy Council to further develop the proposed pharmacist prescriber scope of practice.
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Australian oversupply heading here?
A predicted oversupply of pharmacists in Australia is prompting concern about the flow-on impact in New Zealand.
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Still waiting on recall review findings
Community pharmacy is waiting with bated breath for the results of the review of pharmacy recalls, ordered by health minister Tony Ryall on 3 June.
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Unused meds drive
More than two tonnes of unused medicines were returned to pharmacies in the MidCentral region during 2009–2010 as part of the district wide project for the Safe and Efficient Disposal of Unused Medicines.
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July 2010
A life applauded
June was quite a month for Sir Graeme Douglas. The pharmacist and manufacturer at the helm of Douglas Pharmaceuticals was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday honours and is still recovering from all the extra attention such an award brings.
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Enhance under attack
The Pharmaceutical Society’s professional development programme, Enhance, has become the subject of a heated debate with several pharmacists calling for its immediate review.
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Start-ups threatening professionalism
New pharmacy start-ups must be subject to better tests of their abilities to provide professional services and an unmet need in the market.
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NZ missing out on innovation
New Zealand could be missing out on earning over NZ$200 million per year because we lack a comprehensive strategy to support clinical trials, the Researched Medicines Industry Association says.
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Raro adventure of a lifetime
Kiwi pharmacist Neville Puckey can now add remote Pacific Island stapler technician to his CV.
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Depression project for Waikato
The Waikato Community Pharmacy Group has launched a mental health project involving the region’s rural pharmacies, following a funding grant from the Ministry of Health’s Rural Innovation Fund.
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June 2010
The 2010 Pharmacy Today/ProPharma Pharmacy Awards’ finalists
The 2010 Pharmacy Today/ProPharma Pharmacy Awards’ finalists are:
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Ian Johnson takes on GSK
Otara pharmacist Ian Johnson is taking a stand on behalf of community pharmacy by taking pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline to court for the Marevan 3mg recall.
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Costs & red tape irk
A section of community pharmacists is irked over the addition of yet another compliance cost in the form of newly released pharmacy standards.
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Clozapine GP collaboration
Pharmacists and GPs are collaborating to address concerns around Medsafe’s proposal to widen prescriber access to the antipsychotic drug clozapine.
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“Cowboy” controversy continues
Community pharmacy in greater Auckland continues to experience unrest following the opening of a spate of new pharmacies in well-serviced areas.
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Rugby reunion draws CIT crew
Where would you go to be serenaded by a famous opera singer in duet with a pharmacist, listen to a coroner tell graveyard jokes and see friends from way back?
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Homebake heroin
Opioid-related hospital admissions have increased by 60% and opiate-related admissions by 10% since 2004, Stuart Mills, coordinator at Drug Intelligence Bureau, says.
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May 2010
Brand substitution proposed
Pharmacists may soon be allowed brand substitution as a routine, albeit with certain restrictions.
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“Cowboy” tactics questioned
Unrest is brewing in Auckland over allegations some “greenfield” pharmacies are resorting to coercion to lure customers from their established counterparts.
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Vending machines for medicines
The Pharmaceutical Society is strongly opposing a Ministry of Health proposal to allow the sale of unscheduled medicines through vending machines.
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Consensus at workforce forum
At a time when the future delivery of primary healthcare is in flux, the Pharmaceutical Society held the first ever pharmacy workforce forum last month to gauge which direction pharmacy should be heading in. Rhonwyn Newson reports.
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Learn to please your pharmacist
How can GPs stop being hated by pharmacists?
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Our first pharmacist vaccinators
Pharmacists may soon be providing flu jabs as routine. In Hamilton, at least.
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April 2010
Guild may fight GSK in court
The Pharmacy Guild will fight in court to get compensation from GlaxoSmithKline for its members involved in the Marevan recall.
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Pharmacy freeze in Temuka
Around 5000 people from the South Canterbury town of Temuka may soon be left without pharmacy services.
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GPs told to cut down on prescribing
A letter pleading with GPs in Otago and Southland to curb their prescribing habits has upset both pharmacists and prescribers in the region.
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Copayment change
Annabel Young, Pharmacy Guild chief executive, recently touted the idea of a two-tiered pharmaceutical copayment system, where people would either be charged $3 or $15 for their prescriptions, depending on their ability to pay.
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Cough & cold meds spark debate
Pharmacy leaders are supporting Medsafe’s proposal to reclassify cough and cold medicines to pharmacy only, saying it will significantly increase the safety and effectiveness of treatments.
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March 2010
Free prescriptions ignite passions
A west Auckland pharmacy has stirred a hornet’s nest by offering to fill prescriptions for free.
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Clean up recompense?
Pharmacists were expected to play a key part in recalling Marevan 3mg tablets last month, but what will they get for cleaning up someone else’s mistake?
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Aussie furore over pharmacy treatment of minor ailments
The current Aussie furore over the proposal to promote pharmacy as first port of call for treating minor ailments misses the point, the New Zealand Self Medication Industry Association says.
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New dean for Otago
Tales of fish hooks skilfully removed from fingers and the comings and goings of a small town pharmacy fascinated Stephen Duffull as a boy.
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Change of direction
After more than a decade as dean of the Otago University School of Pharmacy, Ian Tucker is moving on, but he is certainly not slowing down. He has a busy six months planned.
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No let up in the cases of rickets
A clinical review on vitamin D deficiency, published in a British journal, has renewed calls for vitamin D supplementation and fortification to prevent rickets in New Zealand.
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Homoeopathy “hokum” tested
Sceptics from New Zealand and the UK recently attempted to overdose. But nothing happened to any of the participants because they overdosed on homoeopathic remedies.
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