There are so many stories out there that it's hard to know where to start. This week I attended a MHRA Board meeting, which I will report on in next week's blog, and was also fortunate enough to interview Dr Ahmad Malik.
Last week, I went to a pharmacy to buy some medicine for a friend. When I got there, they told me they didn't have it in stock. They gave me my prescription back and told me to search the area around the pharmacy to see if they had it in stock at other pharmacies. Luckily, I can drive so it wasn't too much of an inconvenience, but without a car it would have been nearly impossible. I did as instructed (unlike usual) and went to 4 other pharmacies within a 6 mile radius, but they didn't have it anywhere. I ended up going back to my friend with nothing and telling him to call his doctor and get another supply.
Pharmacies in crisis
Pharmacy First It was first launched in Scotland and is now rolling out in England. £645 million has been promised to support community pharmacy services. With GPs overwhelmed, community pharmacists have become the shop window for the NHS. But is it working?
Last week, I ITV Documentary It is called Pharmacy: the NHS's new frontier?The programme focused on the health of pharmacy at a time when pressure from GPs and the NHS is mounting – but did anyone ask pharmacists why? in front Did ITV have us all rushing to their doors seeking “cures”, “diagnoses” and advice? As the cameras went behind the scenes, audiences got a glimpse of the pressures experienced by many people having to cope with so many extra workloads.
Are pharmacists trained to diagnose medical conditions? The answer is clearly no. If pharmacists wanted to be doctors, they would be trained to be doctors. But diagnosis seems to be what many pharmacists are expected to do. I was surprised when I heard one pharmacist say to a customer about the scars on her face: In his opinionThere's nothing to be worried about, it's not melanoma as the customer feared. You can go home and not worry anymore. Was that reassuring to you? I never would have been reassured.
Increasing pressure, rising costs of medicines and shortages of many medicines have left pharmacists feeling overwhelmed and overworked. As the cost of medicines has risen, many pharmacists have been forced to take losses, as the costs have exceeded what they can charge from the NHS. Pharmacies are paid to provide a service for the NHS, but their income comes from dispensing medicines. They buy medicines at a lower price than the NHS and ultimately get reimbursed by the NHS. However, this is not the case and in many cases pharmacies take a financial hit. While large pharmacies such as Boots may be able to withstand such losses, many independent pharmacies cannot, leading to their closure as a result. In the documentary, 96% of independent pharmacies said that their business is not financially viable.
What is the impact of the global supply problems and how many people are struggling to get medicines because of the shortages? Around eight pharmacies a week are closing in the UK as supply is not keeping up with demand. ITV tonight The show surveyed 980 pharmacy employees across the country and put the spotlight on an industry in crisis.
The situation is made worse by medicine shortages, with pharmacists constantly faced with the challenge of explaining to customers whether to contact other pharmacies to obtain the medicine themselves, or to go back to their GP to get an alternative. So desperate was she that she witnessed a patient travel 100 miles from Plymouth to the Isle of Wight in search of ADHD medication.
Why are there such shortages of medicines? Are medicines we are familiar with being deliberately withdrawn to be replaced by new, experimental medicines? How has Brexit affected medicine supplies to the UK? Are the medicines we are used to still being produced? Are some medicines now too expensive to produce?
Many people need pharmacists, especially those who rely on pharmacies to deliver their medicines, especially those who are caring for loved ones at home. But cutting back on free delivery and “dosaget” boxes that help patients keep track of their medications is just one way to cut losses as pharmacies look for other ways to save business, perhaps to make way for the drone deliveries we've been warning about.
So what does the future hold for “community pharmacists”? Four in five people live within a 15-minute walk of a pharmacy (how convenient for a 15-minute city!) And there are twice as many pharmacies in poorer areas as in wealthier ones. Many pharmacists say they are not even prepared now, let alone able to take on the extra responsibilities that Pharmacy First will demand of them.
Pharmacy First is a big step for many pharmacists. Will there be enough staff to make deliveries? Will the scheme work in England? Or will it fail miserably and be replaced by drone deliveries and online ordering? From what I hear from pharmacists, I fear the latter.
Janet Morrison Commenting on the programme, the CEO of Community Pharmacies England said:
It's vital that we continue to focus on the crisis facing pharmacy and its impact on patients and the local community. We're delighted to be able to feature it on primetime television. The documentary does a great job of framing the issue and presents it in a simple, understandable way. All of this helps raise awareness of the issue and supports the need for further investment and support in pharmacy. We'd like to thank the ITV team and all the pharmacists and other stakeholders who took part in the programme.
As the programme's interviews make clear, people in local communities recognise that community pharmacies are an essential part of their everyday lives. The documentary also reveals how this affects patients when pharmacy services and medicines are not available, sometimes due to supply issues or financial pressures forcing pharmacies to stop providing free services.
The ITV Pressures findings were consistent with our regular survey of pharmacy owners, and with the results of last year's Pressures survey. Unfortunately, the situation for pharmacy remains extremely difficult, and we expect this year's survey results (due to begin in early March) to be even more dire. Collecting this data is a key part of the evidence-gathering that will support our efforts to provide more funding and support to community pharmacy.
New vaccines expected in 2024
The pharmaceutical industry is making progress in developing vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The CDC recommends New Vaccines adult and The kids 2024. Many of us have grown accustomed to being invited to get our annual flu shot, but that's all going to change in 2024. Do you know what's been added to the American recommendation? Vaccination Schedule?
COVID-19 vaccine vaccination
The invitation was sent to encourage: all Adults and children aged 6 months and older should get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Monkeypox
For the first time, monkeypox (also known as Mpox) will be officially recommended for the vaccination schedule for people deemed “high risk,” including members of the LGBTQ community.
Respiratory syncytial virus
Pregnant women nearing the end of their pregnancy in the fall or winter will be offered the new Pfizer respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. If they choose not to vaccinate, their babies will be given the monoclonal antibody Bayfortus, approved by the FDA in July 2023. Last but not least, the elderly will also be offered the new GlaxoSmithKline RSV vaccine.
Meningitis combination vaccine
Pfizer We are busy bringing as many new medicines to market as possible in the shortest possible time, including a new vaccine to prevent meningococcal disease. Pembraya will debut in 2024. It is not recommended for all patients, but it is recommended for some adults and children. Pembraya covers meningococcal groups A, B, C, W, and Y. This is the broadest coverage offered in a single dose. I have no reservations about the new Pfizer vaccine. My son nearly died from meningococcal sepsis when he was 3 weeks old, so I am against it.
DSM-5-TR panel members received $14 million in undisclosed funding from industry.
Thanks to Cheryl Grainger for sending me this story Medscape.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Clinical Chemistry Mental The American Psychological Association's handbook on mental disorders is a tool used by clinicians and psychiatrists to make diagnoses. It lists the symptoms, criteria, and descriptions of each recognized mental disorder. However, it appears that about 60% of the U.S. physicians who served on the panel received a staggering total of $14 million that was not disclosed. Industry funding.
It turns out that while many members received compensation (simply) for meals, travel, and consulting fees, a third were paid for services such as belonging to a “pharmaceutical company speaker bureau.” Clearly, the revolving door is in full swing at the APA, but surprisingly, they don't seem to care much about this. Apparently, they will continue to turn a blind eye and the revolving door will continue to move. This compensation seems to be common practice in 2024, but in my time it would have been called a conflict of interest and would have been unacceptable.
Bill Gates
If you live in Northern Ireland and have been plane spotting recently; Bill Gates“A £70m Gulfstream jet flies overhead. His private jet took off from Los Angeles and was thought to be bound for Davos. We can bet Bill will be more into networking and fear-mongering than skiing.”
Gates Explained He owns a private jet as his guilty pleasure. I would say that is hypocritical of him. One private jet is not enough for him, he owns four. And more recently, customer Bill flew to Australia with a colleague from the energy company. Breakthrough EnergyIt aims to drive sustainable energy innovation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Disease X
we, Disease X To be clear, the world is clearly expecting a deadly new virus that could take millions of lives, but no one knows what it is yet. Scientists are busy in the lab designing new viruses. vaccineBut my question is, how can we design a vaccine out of nothing? Perhaps by the time you are reading this, everything will be clear. World Economic Forum Who will enlighten us all at Davos this week? If not, Bill Gates and hisBacteria Team'We've discovered a new deadly pathogen.
And finally
This week's blog is a little shorter than usual because I'm learning how to operate a different computer system. Should I blame my generation/age? Or is it that there are thousands of Silver Surfers out there who seem to have PhDs on how to operate a computer? Unfortunately I'm not one of them so please bear with me as this is taking a little while.
Last week, I told you, IcelandLocals feared the government was more interested in reopening tourism than protecting them from further eruptions. Sound familiar? On Sunday, January 14, their worst fears were realized when another eruption occurred. eruptionIt seems that once again the locals were right.
My earlier warning about supply chain disruptions has not been in vain, now that container ships are being diverted around the Cape of Good Hope. You may see supermarket shelves overflowing with goods today, but next week that could change. Do you have a plan if shortages occur? Do you have enough medicines to get by if they become unavailable? And are you prepared to be prescribed alternative medicines that you have not tried before? Continue to check the Patient Information Leaflets that come with all your medicines.
Until next week, keep looking up.
God bless,
Debi.
Then two women will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left; two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Matthew 24:40-41
