It’s a welcome development that medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) is now approved for OTC sale in Ireland. It is another recognition…
State of the Union
Because of human nature, being at the head of the IPU is something akin to coaching the Irish rugby team, writes Fintan Moore It often…
Is the Lethal Fat-Burner DNP Another Case of Paracelsus Being Right?
Dr Des Corrigan weighs the evidence against DNP with the musings of the historical ‘father of toxicology’ Media reports at the beginning of February referred…
Ireland shot itself in the foot, not in the arm
When politics interferes with the vaccine surveillance process, we move to emotion informing beliefs and decisions, writes Terry Maguire In the 1960s, US President Johnson…
Reasons to be cheerful — or fearful
Ultan Molloy tries his best to be positive about the end of lockdowns and the pharmacy sector I feel like my brain has been in…
We need to neutralise any would be anti-vaxxer-in-chief
VACCINE HESITANCY WILL INCREASE AS WE EXTEND BEYOND THE HIGH-RISK GROUPS, WRITES TERRY MAGUIRE Medical scientists are more positive than they have been for months.…
‘Herbal’ treatments for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
DR DES CORRIGAN LOOKS AT THE CLAIMS MADE FOR TREATING NAFLD WITH HERBAL REMEDIES I have written previously about a ‘popup’ ad for a herbal…
Another five weeks
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CREAKING UNDER THE STRAIN OF THE LATEST LOCKDOWN EXTENSION, WRITES ULTAN MOLLOY As I write this, I’m told that we…
Pack Animals
FINTAN MOORE TAKES AN IMAGINARY TRIP INTO THE BOARDROOM WHERE PACKAGING DESIGNS ARE APPROVED I would like you to picture the following scene — it’s…
No profession has a monopoly on patient care — especially now
At time of writing — I’m honestly sick of using that phrase — we’re heading into (at least) another five weeks of lockdown. I have…
Are we there yet? There’s Never a dull moment with Covid-19
So that was January. A bit of a roller-coaster ride in terms of Covid statistics — a rapid rise after Christmas, followed by what appears…
The Know-nothing Know-it-alls
It may be a hopeless task to try to convince anti-vaxxers of the error of their ways, writes Fintan Moore We have learned a lot…
The Environmental Costs of drug use and addiction
Dr Des Corrigan highlights the damage done to our environment by the human quest for chemical intoxication Most of us have some awareness of the…
Is Covid-19 orthodoxy abusing science and killing free speech?
There is a worrying trend towards ignoring facts and free speech in favour of self-righteousness over Covid-19, writes Terry Maguire Listening to a local morning…
Covid comes home for Christmas
Ultan Molloy counts the cost of having a christmas guest who was a close contact with a covid-positive person What a January it has been…
Darkness into light: happily Putting 2020 in the rear-view mirror
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,…