Going viral
Eamonn Brady MPSI provides a clinical overview of treating coughs, colds and flu in the pharmacy There is no cure for a cold or influenza…
Mental health during Covid-19
The societal effects of Covid-19 have taken a significant toll on people’s mental health, writes Eamonn Brady MPSI 2020 has seen an increase in anxiety…
Putting sleep issues to bed
Research is accumulating to show that melatonin is effective in safely promoting improved quality of sleep in a range of age groups While it is…
An overview of Crohn’s disease
Eamonn Brady MPSI looks at inflammatory bowel disease, with a particular focus on Crohn’s disease Crohn’s disease is one of the two main forms of…
‘Stupid’ patients and ‘stupid’ questions
Perhaps a pharmacist’s need to feel heard as a healthcare professional is best served by first empathically hearing the patient’s perspective, ponders Ultan Molloy Patients…
A Workforce in Crisis
Terry Maguire reflects on the scant reasons to be cheerful arising from the statistics in the recently-published pharmacy workforce review 2019 Never aspiring to be…
The Pharmacology of Christmas presents
Dr Des Corrigan examines the symbolic and therapeutic qualities of the gifts given by the Three Wise Men The first Christmas presents were probably those…
Go Forth and Multiply
Fintan Moore considers work-life balance, happiness (or lack thereof) in the pharmacy, and mechanical sloth scanners There are different reasons why people choose to own…
Goodbye and good riddance
to 2020 — a year to forget
I’m having trouble remembering a year more bizarre than the one we are about to exit. One shouldn’t generalise; perhaps there are some of you…
That ‘wellbeing lark’
Séamus Ruane, community pharmacist and certified positive psychology practitioner, looks at the importance of wellbeing and how the concept has been undervalued and misunderstood I…
Keeping cool in the pharmacy
Maintaining vaccines in an optimum environment is crucial to their efficacy and vital to avoiding costly pharmaceutical waste. Mike Butt looks at how temperature impacts…
Under pressure
‘Significant concerns’ have been raised about the impact of Covid-19 on health practitioners’ mental health The Practitioner Health Matters Programme (PHMP), which provides confidential treatment…
‘Astonishing’ study results on uric acid and survival
Extreme values of serum uric acid levels in the blood can markedly reduce a patient’s chance of surviving and reduce their life spans by up…
The EU ‘should consistently charge no VAT on medicine’
In a recent move, the European Commission has suggested to EU member states to exempt Covid-19 diagnostic medical devices, as well as a potential vaccine,…
People urged not to present at pharmacies while awaiting Covid-19 test results
Pharmacists are increasingly concerned that people awaiting Covid-19 test results continue to present at pharmacies, and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) is reiterating the HSE…
Biologics increase Covid-19 infection risk but may protect psoriatic patients from ICU hospitalisation and death — study
Treatment with biologics increases the risk of Covid-19 infection in psoriatic patients but appears to protect them from ICU hospitalisation and death, according to the…
Dangers of ‘fake news’ during the Covid-19 pandemic
New research from University College Cork has highlighted the dangers of misinformation in relation to the Covid-19 ‘infodemic’. The research, which has been published in…
Extreme concern over lack of flu vaccines ‘debacle’
Pharmacists have urged the HSE to release any available flu vaccine supplies now, as they continue to have at-risk patients who have yet to receive…
Half of migraine sufferers not diagnosed for at least three years
A new Irish survey carried out by Empathy Research has provided further insights into the negative impact that migraine causes for a significant proportion of…
FIP moves primary healthcare agenda in the European Region forward with new report
Needs in the European Region in order for pharmacy to deliver breakthroughs for better primary healthcare have been described in a report released by the…
Antibiotic overuse ‘could cause the next global healthcare crisis’
With optimism growing for the potential of a Covid-19 vaccine, pharmacists are warning that overuse and misuse of antibiotics could lead to the next global…
Vitamin D supplementation ‘improves outcomes’ in cancer patients
A leading oncologist has stated recently that adequate levels of vitamin D helps to improve outcomes in patients undergoing chemotherapy, as well as helping to…
