News
Medicines shortages update
Global shortage of ezetimibe/atorvastatin continues with expected supply date extended to end of March, while sertraline is in shortage until May Atozet tablets, used for hypercholesterolaemia, are currently experiencing a …
Penalties for failing to pay employee $62,000
Three pharmacy owners have been slapped with thousands in fines for underpaying their staff At the time of the alleged conduct, the owners were partners in a business called Save …
Resistant gonorrhoea nearly triples
The number of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea samples reported to health authorities skyrocketed in the six months to September 2017 The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care says the …
Poll: Are more restrictions needed for ibuprofen?
Now that low-dose codeine combinations are available only on prescription, concerns have been raised about potential problems with ibuprofen In an editorial published by the AJP, Ron Batagol and Professor …
Heffernan blasts TGA on codeine
A Guild state president has vowed to continue the fight on codeine and praised the recent NZ downscheduling decision Pharmacy Guild NSW Branch president David Heffernan has queried the validity …
Location rules locked in
“Certainty and stability” ensured, Guild believes as bill passes both houses The National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits – Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2017 has now passed through the Senate, …
Medibank, Sigma team up
Medibank and Sigma Healthcare have announced a three-year partnership to engage new customers, reward existing customers, and support their customers’ health needs The partnership will commence in the first half …
Owners on notice
Regulators to focus on pharmacy ownership and franchise arrangements The Victorian Pharmacy Authority is set to introduce an audit program this year that will focus on pharmacy business commercial arrangements, in …
Getting to the top
New program launched by PDL and PSA to boost pharmacy leadership skills A new program to empower pharmacists develop their leadership skills has been developed by Pharmaceutical Defence Ltd (PDL) …
Data breach law coming into effect
The new law, which the Pharmacy Guild says will apply to most community pharmacies, could see businesses that fail to report a breach face fines of up to $1.8 million …
Vapers vulnerable to pneumonia: research
Vapour from e-cigarettes seems to help pneumonia-causing bacteria to stick to the cells that line the airway, say researchers A study based on experiments with cells, mice and humans has …
Responding to codeine effects
Under-reporting of codeine dependence is highly likely and interventions are needed, say Australian researchers in new systematic review A systematic review published this week in the Medical Journal of Australia …