Prescribing
The total number of prescription items dispensed in England in 1997 was 500 million with a net cost of £4.4 billion.
EMIMS - Prescribing information online
Antibiotics
Antibiotics given to animals has led to the emergence of bacteria resistant to antiobiotics capable of infecting humans.
Drug Companies
Schering Health Care Limited has developed a website to incorporate as many features of interest as possible and has been specifically tailored to address the needs of Health Professionals.
The site contains a wealth of information for example:
• Disease Characteristics
• Recent papers and publications
• Upcoming events
• Frequently asked questions
• Product information
• On-line slideshows
All the therapy areas in which Schering Health Care Limited specialises are covered including Contraception, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Multiple Sclerosis, Oncology and Diagnostic lmaging. Much of this information is for Health Professionals only and cannot be viewed by the public. Therefore, this part of the site is password protected.
Government Agencies
From 1 April 2003, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) replaced the Medical Devices Agency (MDA) and the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). The MHRA is an Executive Agency of the Department of Health with trading fund status.
The Agency is committed to safeguarding public health by ensuring that medicines, healthcare products and medical equipment meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, performance and effectiveness, and are used safely.
This is a merger of strengths between two leading regulatory agencies, the MDA and the MCA. With the increasing convergence of medicines and medical devices, the Agency will provide a seamless service to healthcare professionals, industry, patients and the public.
The names of some medicinal substances will be changing over the coming months. This is to reduce the risk of error in the prescribing and dispensing of some medicines arising from their availability in the UK under two different names. This means that for some medicines, the names used on prescriptions, dispensing labels and manufacturers' packaging will be changing. The action taken is based on the advice of the Medicines Commission, the Government's principal advisory body on medicines, and follows consultation with stakeholder groups, including professional bodies, retail pharmacists and medical software providers.
Journals
What is Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin?
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin is published by Which? Ltd (a subsidiary of Consumers' Association). An eight page, monthly bulletin, it gives rigorous and independent evaluations of drugs and other treatments, and is aimed at doctors and pharmacists. On Which? Online you'll find a summary of articles published in the current issue, an index of articles published since 1994 and a list of links to other medical sites.
The BNF is a joint publication of the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. It is published under the authority of a Joint Formulary Committee which comprises representatives of the two professional bodies and of the Department of Health. The BNF aims to provide doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals with sound up-to-date information about the use of medicines.
The BNF presents, in a readily accessible way, key information on the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines. It is designed to provide clear guidance on the selection of medicines. All drugs that are generally prescribed in the UK are included and those that are considered less suitable for prescribing are clearly identified. Little or no information is included on medicines that are promoted for purchase by the public.
Basic information about drugs is drawn from the manufacturers' product literature, from medical and pharmaceutical literature, from regulatory and professional authorities, and from the data used for pricing prescriptions. Advice on the therapeutic use of medicines and on the choice of drugs is constructed from clinical literature and reflects, wherever possible, an evaluation of the evidence. In addition, the Joint Formulary Committee receives expert clinical advice on all therapeutic areas, particularly those that are not yet supported by good evidence; this ensures that the BNF's recommendations are relevant to practice. Many individuals and organisations contribute towards the preparation of each edition of the BNF.
The BNF is designed as a digest for rapid reference and it may not always include all the information necessary for prescribing and dispensing. Also, less detail is given in the BNF on areas such as obstetrics, malignant disease, and anaesthesia since it is expected that those undertaking treatment will have specialist knowledge and access to specialist literature. The BNF should therefore be supplemented as necessary by specialised publications and by reference to the manufacturers' product literature. Information is also available from local drug information services. Biannual publication allows the BNF to reflect promptly changes in product availability as well as emerging safety concerns and shifts in clinical practice.
Important changes for this edition
Electronic versions of the BNF - including intranet versions - are produced in parallel with the paper version. An internet version is being developed.
The BNF welcomes comments from healthcare professionals; such comments help to ensure that the BNF remains relevant to practice. Comments and constructive criticism should be sent to:
Executive Editor, British National Formulary, c/o Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN. Email: editor@bnf.rpsgb.org.uk
As the professional organisation and governing body for pharmacy, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPSGB) works in a number of different ways to promote development of higher standards of practice and to safeguard public health
The trade association that represents UK manufacturers of OTC medicines and health supplements. Their website provides current information on OTC medicines and consumer advice on self-medicating effectively and safely.
Regional Drug & Therapeutic Centres
For information on:-
- Information services
- Prescribing support services
- Publications
- Contact details
- Education & training programmes
- Links to related organisations