It's official; the NHS reforms are set to become law after the House of Lords approved the bill late on Monday evening, the BBC reports. The government are hoping that the Health and Social Care Bill will get Royal Assent and become law by Easter.

The news comes after the Labour party held an emergency debate over the reforms yesterday [March 20] in a last ditch attempt to try and block the changes until a risk register was published, the Telegraph reports.

Meanhwile, with so many cancer treatments denied on the NHS because of cost, Nice will be pleased to hear that aspirin can prevent and possibly treat the disease. The BBC reports that three fresh studies published by The Lancet add to the growing evidence of the drug's anti-cancer effects. 

And aspirin isn't the only drug to make into the nationals, as the Independent reports that an antidepressant drug from AstraZenaca has been dumped after failing its latest clinical trials.

But while some drugs have been given the red light, access to others has been increased. The Telegraph reports that almost half of stroke patients eligible for ‘clot busting' drugs are now receiving them, up from one in 20 four years ago.

Sticking with strokes, the Daily Mail reports that patients admitted to hospital out of hours wait twice as long to be assessed and suffer delays in getting a bed, according to a new report.

But it's not just stroke patients who could suffer at the hands of falling standards, as the Telegraph reports that doctors and nurses should measure blood pressure in both arms as a difference in the readings can increase the risk of drying within the next ten years.

Meanwhile, deaths from liver disease have reached record levels after rising 25 per cent in 10 years, according to the Independent.

Finally from the nationals, the secret to why some women love going to the gym – exercising gives them sexual pleasure, according to the Telegraph. A medical study has revealed that activities such as yoga and spinning use the same core abdominal muscles associated with sexual pleasure.

In pharmacy news, Teva UK has extended a drug recall originally issued in December 2011 concerning batches of prednisolone EC 2.5mg and 5mg tablets in pots to include all remaining stock of selected batches. Routines testing revealed some anomalies. Meanwhile, the Co-operative Pharmacy's first outpatient dispensary at Doncaster Royal Infirmary opened its doors this month. A seven-year contract was awarded to the Co-operative Pharmacy last August and expected savings to the Trust are in the region of £200,000 a year

The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education has launched a new focal point learning programme, Children and their medicines: enhancing your practice. Focal point programmes are designed for community pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and the latest course will focus on the challenges pharmacy teams when dealing with child patients.