An FDA committee voted to recommend six peptides for inclusion on a list that would let compounding pharmacies dispense them, despite FDA staff objections. Critics said the move could widen access to inadequately studied drugs.
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.
The FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meets Thursday for two days to recommend on allowing compounding pharmacies to make popular injectable peptides like TB-500 and BPC-157. This decision is critical amidst safety concerns, lack of large-scale human trials, and industry pressure to lift current restrictions.
A new study, published in the Australian Journal of Rural Health, has mapped Australia's "pharmacy deserts" for the first time, identifying areas with low community pharmacy density. Findings show fewer services in remote Northern Territory communities, outer-city Melbourne and Perth, and specific rural towns, with Australia's average density below the global average.
UK-based healthcare billing software maker Craneware announced a cyberattack resulted in the theft of a "significant volume" of customer, employee, and partner data. The breach affects a company whose software is widely used in the U.S. healthcare sector, and its investigation is ongoing.
High street pharmacies in England are now providing a free Meningitis B vaccine to young people aged 17-25, including university and college students. This initiative follows a significant outbreak in Kent earlier this year, aiming to protect those most at risk.
An FDA panel is set to review seven peptides, popular in wellness circles for injury recovery and more, but lacking large-scale trials and FDA approval. Concerns linger about safety and potential conflicts of interest among panel members.
The once-a-day Wegovy weight-loss pill, containing semaglutide, is now available in UK high street and online pharmacies for private prescription. It is not yet available on the NHS. The pill offers a needle-free alternative to the jab but requires specific administration on an empty stomach.
The once-daily Wegovy weight loss pill, containing semaglutide, is now available privately in the UK, though not yet on the NHS. It works similarly to the injectable version by mimicking a gut hormone to reduce appetite and increase fullness, requiring a BMI of 30+ or 27-30 with weight-related conditions. Strict guidelines apply for taking the pill on an empty stomach, and costs range from £99 to £199 per month.
Online telehealth pharmacies are booming, selling GLP-1s and weight-loss drugs. However, many consumers report being charged for unsolicited medications, facing impossible cancellation policies, and experiencing unresponsive customer service, leading to significant financial losses and frustration.
Canada has become the first G7 nation to approve generic semaglutide injections, making GLP-1 drugs more accessible and affordable. This move by Novo Nordisk follows similar approvals in India and has already led to price reductions for brand-name medications.
Canada has become the first G7 nation to approve generic semaglutide injections, making GLP-1 drugs more accessible and affordable. This move by Novo Nordisk follows similar approvals in India and may pressure US prices, though generics are not expected there until 2032.
New Taipei City's Senior Citizen Card will allow monthly 300-point usage at farmers' markets, pharmacies, and convenience stores starting in the latter half of next year. Councilor Chen Nai-yu urges prompt release of details to ensure accessibility for seniors in remote areas.
German pharmacies are struggling with political "arbitrariness," bureaucracy, and online competition, leading to closures. While urban access is high, rural areas are also affected. Reforms aim to expand services, but pharmacists feel underfunded and face price-binding challenges.
A German court has sentenced three men over 60 for membership in the 'Kaiserreichgruppe,' a terrorist organization linked to Reichsbürger and Querdenker movements. The group plotted to kidnap a former health minister and sabotage infrastructure, aiming to establish a new order based on the 1871 German constitution. Sentences ranged from suspended terms to over two years imprisonment.
German Health Minister Nina Warken's plans to expand pharmacy services, including vaccinations, preventative care, and dispensing certain prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription, are set to be voted on by parliament. While pharmacies welcome the move, doctors strongly protest, calling it a dangerous overreach. The reforms aim to support rural pharmacies facing staff shortages and declining profitability.
Over 26,000 chemists in Karnataka will join a nationwide 24-hour strike on May 20, protesting against online pharmacies. The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) leads the protest against alleged illegal online medicine sales and unfair competition from e-pharmacies offering deep discounts.
DÉCRYPTAGE - Avec la chute de la rentabilité des petites officines, notamment dans les zones rurales, le secteur se transforme en adoptant les codes de la grande distribution. Ce business suscite aussi l’intérêt des pouvoirs publics.
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) say they have developed a world-first nasal spray that delivers neurotherapeutic powder directly to the brain as first aid for ischemic stroke patients, with clinical trials expected by 2030. The treatment is intended for initial use by paramedics, before being rolled out to high-risk groups in care facilities and eventually the general public through pharmacies. It was developed by the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at HKU and the university’s...
The Supreme Court on Monday restored broad access to the abortion pill mifepristone, blocking a ruling that had threatened to upend one of the main ways abortion is provided across the nation. The order signed by Justice Samuel Alito temporarily allows women seeking abortions to obtain the pill at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor. Those rules had been in effect for several years until a federal appeal court imposed new restrictions last week. Most abortions...
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.
Hong Kong authorities have arrested five men at registered pharmacies and seized thousands of unregistered anti-obesity medicines and boxes of slimming injections, vowing to launch more joint operations to clamp down on illegal sales across the city. The Department of Health said on Monday evening that an enforcement operation with the police last Friday at a registered pharmacy in Sha Tin district led to four arrests and the seizure of over 400 tablets of clonazepam, more than 2,700 tablets of...
Hong Kong authorities have arrested five men across two operations at registered pharmacies in Sha Tin and Jordan, seizing over 400 clonazepam tablets, 2,700 zolpidem tablets, and six boxes of unregistered slimming injections. The Department of Health announced increased enforcement against illegal sales of anti-obesity medicines classified as Part 1 poisons, citing growing demand driven by nearly half of residents being overweight or obese.
Hong Kong authorities have arrested five men at registered pharmacies and seized thousands of unregistered anti-obesity medicines and dangerous drugs, vowing to launch more joint operations to clamp down on illegal sales across the city. The Department of Health said on Monday evening that an enforcement operation with the police last Friday at a registered pharmacy in Sha Tin district led to four arrests and the seizure of over 400 tablets of clonazepam, more than 2,700 tablets of zolpidem and...
