Pharmacy organisations

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has warned about “patient safety” after discovering that draft HIV guidance directs patients to purchase pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) from a website using cryptocurrency.

The PDA has confirmed that a “formal ballot” will take place to secure union recognition at Superdrug – with the vote forecasted to be concluded “by the spring” – after the chain said it is “not willing to recognise the PDA voluntarily”.

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) is preparing to support some 80 former Sainsbury’s pharmacists who only received statutory redundancy payments after Lloydspharmacy made them redundant in a four-day employment tribunal.

The BMA has urged GPs and community pharmacies to “work in a joined-up way” after GP leaders last week voted “overwhelmingly” for pharmacy blood pressure checks to be terminated immediately.

The four pharmacy bodies have together urged the government to “shield community pharmacies from…increased costs and measures” introduced in the October budget.

The pharmacy sector has been left in limbo since its five-year funding deal came to end in April, but after delay upon delay to negotiations, are we any closer to a new deal?

Pharmacy collective action would put strain on GPs who are “already struggling to keep up with appointments”, a GP practice has told C+D.

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has raised concerns that proposed changes to online pharmacy regulations would embed “potentially poor practice” and allow pharmacies to “circumvent” guidance.

Previous RPS president Steve Churton has resigned from its England board after taking a “principled stance” over how the body is working towards becoming a royal college.

A US community pharmacy body has welcomed the nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr as health secretary under Donald Trump’s new administration, despite his controversial comments about vaccines.