World news wrapup: 15 March 2018
Arizona doctors’ offices get prescription drug vending machines; Kansas celebrates drug donation program; UK dispensing error defence imminent Mesa, Arizona: Medavail Technologies has installed Arizona’s first vending machine for medications …
Struck off for prescribing to self and partner
A former doctor and pharmacist has been disqualified from practising medicine for three years after he prescribed drugs including Valium and Duromine for his partner, a male sex worker The …
Non-GP vaccinators accused of increasing flu risk
The RACGP has criticised flu vaccine providers who are encouraging patients to be vaccinated now The group’s president, Dr Bastian Seidel, says is concerned that “some influenza vaccine providers” are …
Techs to lose pharmacist supervision requirement
Pre-registration pharmacy technicians will no longer require pharmacist supervision from August, Britain’s General Pharmaceutical Council says The UK announcement comes as pharmacists in Australia debate whether or not the profession …
Pharmacists neglected in pandemic planning
Pharmacists are a “largely untapped” resource in flu outbreaks and their role should be specified in pandemic planning, says one expert The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association’s Deeble Institute for …
A duty of care
Despite pressure from prescribers or patients, pharmacists should stand firm in ensuring any script they dispense is appropriate and safe, say experienced pharmacists Early last month Fairfax media reported on …
Sick note attacks continue
Mainstream media appear to have removed an article reporting on its sending a well employee to a pharmacy for a sick note Last week, News Corp published an article in …
When can I issue a sick note?
Following a series of mainstream media reports criticising pharmacy-issued sick notes, the PSA has confirmed they are within pharmacy’s scope of practice While issuing absence from work certificates is within …
Are we in agreement?
We’re now into the second half of the five-year CPA cycle, so what’s the time frame for the seventh iteration of the Guild-Government agreement? In racing terms we’re into the …
Bystander CPR can double survival rates
Stakeholders are calling for better CPR education after a study revealed Australia’s bystander CPR rates New research by Monash University has revealed that almost 60% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) …
Research Roundup
Debbie Rigby rounds up the latest in research news Fall-Risk-Increasing Drugs Use of certain medications is recognized as a major and modifiable risk factor for falls. In this systematic review …
Poll: ‘devolving’ dispensing
Are pharmacists handing too much of their dispensing role to pharmacy technicians or assistants? Last week, pharmacy stakeholders expressed concern that pharmacy was “devolving” too much of its primary dispensing …