I hope you have had the chance over the holiday season to recharge your batteries and reconnect with friends and loved ones. It was amusing…
A New Improved Year?
Fintan Moore observes that while 2020 was a year to be forgotten, it also spawned advances and accelerated change It’s safe to say that most…
A Herbal Cure for hangovers
Dr Des Corrigan looks at the science behind herbal solutions for the predictable problem of January hangovers “The year began with lunch” — so begins…
Continuing to educate pharmacists
Terry Maguire ponders what may become a permanent fixture — virtual CPD meetings for pharmacists News that RoI’s medicines regulator has granted an OTC licence…
How very Nazi of you Patricia…
We are in uncharted territory when it comes to Covid vaccine uptake, writes Ultan Molloy Yes, I nearly actually ‘went there’ recently in response to…
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…
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…
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…
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…
‘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 dangerous gamble
By the time you are reading this, we will be well into our second lockdown. Among others more qualified to comment on such matters, I…
Fronting Up
With a new lockdown now in place, Fintan Moore considers how ‘battle fatigue’ is setting in for a lot of people So we’re now seven…
The Health Effects of Exotic Red Teas
Dr Des Corrigan puts the kettle on and looks at the properties of a variety of teas A relatively trivial if upsetting consequence of “The…
A man holding a thesaurus meanders into a tavern…
‘It’s only words’, but how we use them to manage interactions at the pharmacy counter is important, writes Ultan Molloy I’m reminded after a recent…
Vested interest means Boris Johnson has a fat chance of getting us thin
Terry Maguire chews the fat on the powers behind the obesity epidemic UK PM Boris Johnson contracted Covid-19 back in March and suffered significant symptoms,…
Lockdown or locked-up? the side-effects of further imposed isolation
At time of writing, the upward slide in the number of Covid-19 cases has prompted Government to tighten its grip on movement, particularly in and…
Refereeing the breakdown
Fintan Moore looks at the debate on breaks to reduce pharmacist fatigue and finds that there are more layers to this onion A topic of…
The Impact of Spices on Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity
Dr Des Corrigan adds a little spice to the research on the potential benefits of some dual-use plants “Lose weight!” was the blunt response by…
Statins are they really good?
Terry Maguire looks more closely at the evidence for statin use, including the potential side-effects I came to statin treatment in a bizarre way. I…
A big month for Irish Pharmacy
Ultan Molloy discusses whether some recent developments will turn out to be good for pharmacists and their patients What a big month September was for…
there are restrictions, and then there are restrictions…
Have you had to field a few difficult questions regarding the guidelines being issued to try to halt the spread of Covid-19? The fact that…
The Game of the Name
In the world of pharmacy, there are some phenomena that have no convenient name. Inspired by Douglas Adams, Fintan Moore tries to remedy that situation…
New Focus on the Date-Rape Drugs GHB and GBL
Given events in the UK, Dr Des Corrigan advises caution over a possible emerging subculture of ‘date-rape’ drugs in Ireland The reporting on several high-profile…
Opium of the People
A certain drug stands out in a recent report on the medicines used and abused in Northern Ireland, writes Terry Maguire Publication of the Statistics…
Coming to you in Calibri
Ultan Molloy explores the value of innovation, in fonts and in pharmacy Colm O’Donnell from Sligo plays both flute and fiddle, and he reckons that…
The trade-off between personal privacy and the need to collect Covid-19 data
Have you downloaded the Covid-19 tracker app yet, or have you encouraged your employees, patients/customers or friends and family to do so? In principle, it’s…
The bitter truth behind those trendy summer spritzes
Dr Des Corrigan looks at the crossover between food and beverage and medicinal use of a variety of plants As I was cocooning, the prospect…
A pointed question
Fintan Moore explains why he didn’t previously participate in the flu vaccination scheme and why that may now change While I think the introduction of…
Looking good for the pandemic… let’s mask up
Terry Maguire looks at the evidence for the usefulness of mask-wearing and the type of face-coverings that are most efficient My daughter, who studied fashion…
Thar an gcuntar as Gaeilge
Dé Domhnaigh seo caite, léigh mé alt suimiúil bunaithe ar an nanaitheicneolaíocht agus a hacmhainneacht sa troid in aghaidh SARS-CoV-2. An Saotharlann NEIDL in Ollscoil…