Technology in Health and the emergence of Apple

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | Jun 12, 2014 | Behind the scenes, Blog, Regulation

It was announced earlier this month that Apple were launching their own healthcare and fitness app called HealthKit.  The app is part of iOS8 and has the potential to communicate patient health data to hospitals and clinicians. The idea behind all of this is...

Online Pharmacy – are patients better with a ‘face to face’?

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | Jun 12, 2014 | Blog, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacy Brands, Regulation

Recent coverage in the Australian community pharmacy press has centred around the benefit and/or potential harm of prescribing and dispensing medicines without a face-to-face consultation.  The discussion raised asked the question whether an online questionnaire is...

Recent MHRA Alerts

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 20, 2014 | Blog, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacy Brands, Pharmacy Suppliers

So much for all the wonders and claims of slimming tablets … After investigation, the MHRA has recently issued alerts about a number of products found to have prescription only drug ingredients in them.  All the alerts were raised by the Hong Kong Department of...

Export of medicines in short supply………

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 12, 2014 | Blog, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacy Brands, Pharmacy Suppliers

The PSNC is no longer maintaining a list as shortages have become part of every day life in pharmacy now. This posed a question by one of my clients: “Does this mean we can now export anything?” No I said you must not export drugs in short supply and I refereed him to...

RP & GDP Training for WDA(H)

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 12, 2014 | Behind the scenes, Blog, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacy Brands, Pharmacy Suppliers, Regulation

RP – Responsible Person relating to MHRA GDP – Good Distribution Practice – the guidelines by which medicine wholesalers must adhere to WDA(H) – Wholesale Distribution Authorisation for Human Use – previously Wholesale Dealer’s...

Out of Specification (OOS) Test Results

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 12, 2014 | Behind the scenes, Blog, Pharmacy Suppliers, Regulation

What are Out of Specification results (OOS)?  It seems to be clear enough in the name but I thought I better check it out. One definition is: All test results which fall outside the specifications or acceptance criteria established in drug applications, drug master...

Wholesale Dealer or Distributor? Wholesale Licence or Authorisation?

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 12, 2014 | Blog

Which one do you have? I know we now have to have a wholesale distribution authorisation (WDA ) to wholesale medicines but I still find myself saying wholesale dealers licence and wholesale dealers authorisation. Why the change? We have to come into line with the rest...

Today’s thought – small business

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 12, 2014 | Blog, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacy Suppliers

So here’s my rant for the day … it reflects just some of the difficulties of being a small business owner! It is a crazy old world in the same month I have had a letter form David Cameron, telling me he is  saving me £2000 in NI contributions this year and...

Quality Agreements- Technical Agreements- Good ones are invaluable!

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 12, 2014 | Blog, Pharmacy Brands, Pharmacy Suppliers, Regulation

TAs – when do we need them in place and who with and what should be in them? PCL have been reviewing a few TAs over the last few weeks and we have put a few tips and hints together. If you only follow GDP or GMP; the principals are the same. If you are a...

The current state of Pfizer

by Jackie (née Heneghan) Peck | May 12, 2014 | Behind the scenes, Blog, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacy Brands, Pharmacy Suppliers, Regulation

Pfizer’s bid for AstraZeneca scrutinised – should it be only the shareholders who decide? AstraZeneca employs over six thousand people in the UK. Pfizer has made nine promises in a letter to David Cameron which are said to reflect Pfizer’s commitment to the UK....