March 2019

The Pharmaceutical Society is working on a quality improvement programme, with a 10-point plan for pharmacists over three years, writes Miranda Cook

Noise around splitting of dispensing and advice pharmacy roles has reared its controversial head in the draft version of the Therapeutic Products Bill

The oral contraceptive pill shortage starting to bite several pharmacies near universities stretched to breaking point as students return to university

Joanna Hikaka, president of Ngā Kaitiaki o te Puna Rongoā (the Māori Pharmacists’ Association), explains the role of kaumātua and why appreciating elders is a central tenet of the Māori world view

The health sector has been stunned and saddened by the sudden death of Stewart Jessamine, a much-loved and respected former Ministry of Health official

Veteran Christchurch pharmacist Des Bailey casts his eye over the rich tapestry of human life that walks through the door of his pharmacy in the slightly down-at-heel but vibrant suburb of Addington

Researchers are undertaking a new survey of pharmacists later this year to see if the Integrated Community Pharmacy Services Agreement will usher in a wider range of services for customers

Chemist Warehouse. The name alone can cause angst for pharmacy owners operating in areas too far away from the retail giant to feel a blow to their books.

A spat has erupted over the Medicines Classification Committee’s recent recommendation that several popular cough and cold medicines available OTC be reclassified. An organisation representing manufacturers of such products is calling for a major reform of the committee, reports Jonathan Chilton-Towle

Startling details have emerged of a case involving dozens of pharmacists in the upper North Island dispensing an illegal prescription for popular painkiller tramadol and the antibiotic, metronidazole