Ranitidine and cancer
Ranitidine is a commonly prescribed medication used mainly for the treatment of acid reflux and stomach ulcers. At a lower dose of 75mg per tablet, ranitidine can be purchased from a pharmacy or supermarkets. Higher-strength of ranitidine tablets (150mg and 300mg) are prescription only medication (POM). Global market for ranitidine has been in turmoil last month, when firstly The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled number of products containing ranitidine (including branded Zantac) and shortly afterward, in UK, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recalled number of products due to possible contamination with N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which has genotoxic and carcinogenic potential (a substance that could possibly cause…
Can you take paracetamol with … ?
Paracetamol is one of the most commonly purchased over the counter medication. It is still one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the UK with more than 17mln items prescribed in the last 12 months (Sep ’18—Aug ’19), costing NHS over £46 mln (Openprescribing.net, 2019). I previously wrote a couple of posts on use of paracetamol and naproxen and paracetamol and ibuprofen. Can you take paracetamol with … covers concomitant use of paracetamol with other common drugs, purchased from the pharmacy or prescribed.
Creams to reduce bruising
Bruises are mostly formed as a result of the injury, causing local skin discoloration. Generally, bruises do not require medical treatment and go on their own within a couple of weeks. A couple of creams to reduce bruising can be purchased over the counter and/or from the pharmacy. Nelsons Arnicare Arnica cream and Hirudoid cream can be used to help with bruising.
What is Nytol liquid?
Recently launched Nytol liquid offers easy to swallow formulation containing a sedative antihistamine, diphenhydramine hydrochloride. Although liquid preparations containing diphenhydramine hydrochloride can be bought already (cough syrups), Nytol oral solution is the only product which contains diphenhydramine and is licensed as an antihistamine and sleep aid product.
Cranberry juice and UTI
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common infection which can affect the bladder, urethra or kidneys. UTI mostly experienced by women, however, men can also get it. UTI can be uncomfortable but usually goes on its own without any treatment. Depending on the symptoms or in certain situations patients need to see their GP to get appropriate antibiotic treatments. To learn more about UTI and when to see your GP go to the NHS website. This post will focus on the use of cranberry juice in UTI treatment and prevention. Why Cranberry juice in UTI? Use of cranberries in the treatment of bladder infections goes back hundreds of years ago to…
Flu jab cost 2019-2020
Since 2015 community pharmacies in the UK are able to provide flu vaccination service to NHS patients. Year on year this service became increasingly popular. Last year a record number of flu jabs were provided by community pharmacist with an estimated 1.4 mln vaccinations administered as part of NHS service. This number does not include flu jabs administered on the basis of a private service. Patients who are not eligible to receive a free NHS flu jab can use private service to receive a vaccination for which patients pay. Prices for flu jab varies between each pharmacy/pharmacy chain. Below is a summary of the main pharmacies and associated flu jab…
Flu jabs 2019/2020 delays in supply
In one of my previous posts, I summarised vaccine availability for upcoming flu season 2019/2020. During upcoming season we will see new flu vaccinations, however, we now know that there are already delays in the production of quadrivalent influenza flu vaccine affecting the delivery of service in some eligible patients.
Emergency prescription
In one of my previous posts, I discussed requirements for patients to receive medication on the basis of an emergency supply. An emergency prescription can be obtained from some pharmacies under NHS Urgent Medicine Supply Advanced Service (NUMSAS) scheme. This service was created to reduce the burden on urgent and emergency care services such as walk in and out of hour centres. NUMSAS is a pilot scheme, currently extended until the end of September 2019 provided by over 4000 pharmacies in UK.
Medication disposal
Drugs are not ordinary items and with this, medication disposal should be done appropriately. In this post, I will summarise how to dispose of your medication safely, regardless of whether medication is expired or just unwanted. Remember: once medication left the pharmacy it cannot be reused as dispensing stock when brought back to the pharmacy, even if you never opened the box.
What numbing cream can I buy?
Numbing creams such as Emla are licensed for topical anaesthesia before needle insertions for example before an injection, commonly used before children’s immunisations, or to numb the area before superficial skin procedures. Numbing creams became a popular choice for the off-license use as tattoo numbing creams. In this post, I will discuss over the counter availability of numbing creams and a numbing gel from the pharmacy, their age restrictions, and pricing. Always read patient information leaflet for detailed advice on methods of administration, special warnings, and other important information related to each numbing cream. Numbing creams: the main active ingredients Numbing creams available from the pharmacy contain local anaesthetic as…
