Hong Kong's Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine launched the city's first community pharmacist-led osteoporosis screening program. The scheme identifies high-risk patients for bone density scans, addressing the high rate of undiagnosed cases and severe mortality associated with hip fractures in the elderly.
US pharmaceutical company Indivior will withdraw its "life-saving" opioid dependency drug Sublocade from the Australian market by December 31, citing commercial reasons. The decision has alarmed doctors and pharmacists, who note Sublocade's effectiveness and patient preference over alternatives like Buvidal. This follows AstraZeneca's recent withdrawal of Zoladex, also due to commercial viability concerns.
The war in Iran has caused medicine prices in England to rise 20-30%, with paracetamol and hay fever tablets particularly affected. Pharmacists are paying 40-50% more to stock medicines, while air freight costs have doubled. The National Pharmacy Association warns prices could rise further, with 1,400 pharmacies having closed since 2020.
The war in Iran has caused medicine prices in England to jump 20-30%, with paracetamol and hay fever medication most affected. Pharmacies are paying 40-50% more to order stock, while wholesale prices for paracetamol have surged from 41p to £1.99. The conflict has doubled air freight costs and strangled supplies of petroleum derivatives used in medication manufacturing. Over 1,400 pharmacies have closed since 2020, with one or two closing weekly. Manufacturers warn of potential shortages within weeks if the conflict continues.
