March 2019

Time is running out for a Vietnamese pharmacist caught out by a recent change in the Australian Capital Territory’s skill shortage list.

Isabel Cala, a clinical pharmacist from Mercy Ascot in Auckland, will put her mind and body to the test in the punishing Oxfam Trailwalker event, to raise money to fight poverty in the Pacific.

With ever-changing rules and expectations for pharmacists, the dispensary can be a confusing place. But never fear, Christchurch pharmacist Des Bailey, Pharmaceutical Society chief pharmacist advisor Chris Jay and young Taranaki pharmacist Deema Alusi are here to answer your pharmacy questions

A senior pharmacy technician is calling for the profession to be registered to help advance technician roles and help shoulder some of pharmacists’ workplace pressures

Hospital pharmacy staff at the Hawke’s Bay, Northland and Canterbury DHBs were considering industrial action last month as negotiations over their collective employment agreements dragged on

What are those mystery ingredients listed on the back of the multivitamin bottle and what do they do? Complementary medicines expert Shaun Holt explains the role of molybdenum and manganese

A third of New Zealanders are allergic to substances in the environment. These allergens cause discomfort and pain, and in some cases, can have deadly consequences. Christchurch pharmacist Sarah Mooney looks at OTC remedies that can help mild complaints, as well as what to do when a customer presents with anaphylactic shock

The 2018/19 summer has been a weird one for allergy sufferers. It got off to a cold start, but the extreme, heat that came next saw a massive load of pollen swamping New Zealanders’ nostrils all at once. Jonathan Chilton-Towle investigates the effect on pharmacy sales

The need for protection from the sun’s harsh rays appears to have trumped controversial concerns about sunblock claims in one of New Zealand’s most sun-soaked cities

Medicines reclassification expert and academic Natalie Gauld has had type 1 diabetes for 16 months. She shares her experiences using continuous glucose monitors as an alternative to constant finger-prick tests