The Pharmacist

25/12/2025

Pharmacies face an additional £275m costs in 2026, NPA warns

An 8.9% uplift in NHS funding – the level of increase set out in the 2025/26 General Medical Services (GMS) contract for GPs – would only cover inflation, increased wage costs due to a rise in the national living wage, and ongoing growth in prescription volume.

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Pharmacies in England face ‘at least £275m’ of additional costs next year, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned.

25/12/2025

More than seven in ten pregnant women vaccinated against whooping cough

More than 72% of pregnant women in England were vaccinated against whooping cough in the latest reported month, up from 64% last year and 58% in 2023.

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25/12/2025

Scottish government urged to fund improved sustainable medicine disposal

Next year’s Scottish government has been urged to accelerate electronic prescribing and fund improved sustainable medication disposal in a new health and climate manifesto.

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Next year’s Scottish government has been urged to accelerate electronic prescribing and fund improved sustainable medication disposal.

24/12/2025

Employment Rights law 'most significant improvement' in a generation, says PDA

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) ‘celebrates’ the passing of the Employment Rights Bill, after its progress was halted in the House of Lords by weeks of parliamentary back and forth.

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The Pharmacists’ Defence Association ‘celebrates’ the passing of the Employment Rights Bill, after a battle in the House of Lords.

24/12/2025

Updated smoking cessation service spec and PGDs published

Draft documents for the expanded Smoking Cessation Service (SCS) have been published, including updates to the service specification and new Patient Group Directions (PGDs) for varenicline and cytisinicline (Cytisine).

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Draft documents for the expanded Smoking Cessation Service (SCS) have been published, including updates to the service spec and new PGDS.

24/12/2025

MHRA warns festive foods may interact with medicines

Leafy greens and brassica vegetables – such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cabbage – are rich in vitamin K, which can reduce the effectiveness of warfarin when eaten in large or inconsistent amounts.

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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a reminder that some festive foods can interact with medicines

23/12/2025

Only one in ten people who need weight-loss drugs can access them, warns WHO

Currently fewer than one in ten people who need weight-loss drugs globally are able to access them, the World Health Organisation has warned.

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Currently fewer than one in ten people who need weight-loss drugs globally are able to access them, the World Health Organisation has warned. High costs and limited production capacity are restricting access to the more than one billion people around the world who are now obese, WHO said as it launc...

23/12/2025

Valproate rules have significantly cut prescribing

Stricter rules around prescribing sodium valproate to under 55s where prescriptions require sign off from two specialists have had a significant impact on the use of the drug, a new study has shown.

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Stricter rules around prescribing sodium valproate to under 55s where prescriptions require sign off from two specialists have had an impact

23/12/2025

Contractors asked to share experiences of patient abuse

Pharmacy owners have been asked to share experiences of patient abuse towards them or their teams by Community Pharmacy England (CPE), ahead of the negotiators first committee meeting of 2026.

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Pharmacy owners have been asked to share experiences of patient abuse towards them or their teams by Community Pharmacy England (CPE).

22/12/2025

More than one in five people have bought unverified weight loss jabs

A ‘critical health warning’ has been issued by online pharmacy MedExpress, after new data found that 21% of UK adults who had purchased weight loss jabs had done this from an unverified or illegal source.

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New data has found that over one in five (21%) UK adults had purchased a weight loss jab from an unverified or illegal source.