IACC’s Post

🍉Today marks the release of the last tip in our #TopTipforSummer series, with Tip #5: Only take weight loss medicines prescribed for you 💪 Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for a lot of people to improve your health. If that’s something you want to do, beware of criminals luring you into a quick fix by offering fake, potentially harmful products online, such as dodgy diet pills or fake weight loss pens. Last year, we warned of the dangers of buying pre-filled pens claiming to contain Ozempic (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide). People should only use medicines like these where they’ve been prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional. ⚠️ Since January 2023, the MHRA and its law enforcement partners have seized 869 potentially fake Ozempic pens. All were intercepted before they reached the public. Be careful when obtaining medicines online. Fake medicines and medical devices bought online pose significant dangers to your health. If you have a concern about your weight and health, you should visit your GP or pharmacist, get a correct diagnosis and - if medicines are prescribed - obtain them from a legitimate source. All pharmacies in Great Britain, including those online, must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and meet their standards for registered pharmacies. You can find a list of these on the GPhC website ➡️ https://bit.ly/2TG8RtT 🌐 Visit the #FakeMeds website for tools and resources to help you purchase medicines or medical devices safely online, ➡️ https://bit.ly/3YAFNWy To read the full advice, visit 🔗 https://bit.ly/3YjoARn

Does anyone think twice before buying that cough syrup from a local medical store? Wait 🤔 After reading the below article you will certainly think twice. Don't buy from unknown brands even if your doctor prescribes medicines from such brands. Govt agencies should make such results public immediately right after serving them a notice whose products fail in such screening tests. This makes the general public more aware about such companies and at least we think twice before buying from them. There should also be a routine mechanism which allows only the medicines passed the screening tests into the market either domestic or international. If anyone says it's already there that means the existing mechanism isn't efficient and needs to be overhauled. What do you think? https://lnkd.in/g-W6DqjE

Among the most important recommendations that resulted from the scientific day: 1- A recommendation to the Pharmacists Syndicate to hold periodic awareness lectures and workshops for pharmacists about antibiotics and their uses, and to learn about everything new on the subject of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. 2- A recommendation to community pharmacists to adhere to the laws regulating the dispensing of antibiotics in line with the World Health Organization’s AWARE classifications. 3- A recommendation to the concerned authorities, represented by the Pharmacists Syndicate, the Ministry of Health, and the General Food and Drug Administration, to renew communication with the Ministry of Environment to activate what is known as the green pharmacy. 4- Recommendation regarding the necessity of continuing to activate the role of the pharmacist

There are many different types of e-cigarettes in use, also known as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and sometimes electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS). These systems heat a liquid to create aerosols that are inhaled by the user. These so-called e-liquids may or may not contain nicotine (but not tobacco) but also typically contain additives, flavours and chemicals that can be toxic to people’s health. There is growing evidence that ENDS could be associated with lung injuries and in recent times e-cigarette and vaping have been linked to an outbreak of lung injury in the USA. This is described by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injury (EVALI), which led the CDC to activate an emergency investigation into EVALI on 17 September 2019. The CDC notes, “As of 18 February 2020, there have been a total of 2,807 cases of EVALI reported from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, including 60 deaths confirmed in 27 states and the District of Columbia. While the cause of these deaths has not been conclusively determined, vitamin E acetate (VEA), a common additive in ENDS that contains cannabis (or THC), is thought to have played a significant role in these cases of lung injury. Further information on this incident, including a strong link of the EVALI outbreak to Vitamin E Acetate and the latest report, is available at https://lnkd.in/dpC52wsw, which is updated every week, as the evidence is not sufficient to exclude the contribution of other chemicals.” #Healthcare #WHO #Pharmacy

Picture this - you're sick, you trust a medicine to help you recover, but instead, it's doing more harm than good. This isn't a figment of your imagination, it's the alarming reality of counterfeit medicines. #FakeMeds These are not just imitations of the original product; they're made by unauthorized individuals or companies. These are cheap knockoffs riding on the reputation of established brands. #TrademarkViolation More than just a violation of law, fake medicines raise grave concerns about patient health and safety. Lack of active ingredients, incorrect dosage, harmful substances - these are just a few potential issues hidden in counterfeit pills. #PatientSafety A study found that a counterfeit heart medication in the market contained a mere 15% of the active ingredient. Thousands of lives are at risk. #HealthRisk The gravity of this issue extends beyond the health sector. It's economic sabotage, robbing genuine manufacturers of their hard-earned credibility while undermining trust in healthcare systems. #EconomicSabotage It's time to stand up against this unethical practice. Join me in advocating for stringent regulations, raising awareness, and promoting authentic, safe, and effective medications. #StandAgainstCounterfeitMeds Let's create a healthier world, free from the danger of counterfeit medicines. #HealthierWorld

When essential medicines are contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), there can be serious consequences. With deaths and adverse health outcomes caused by DEG and EG contaminations first being reported back in 1937 and continuing to occur as recently as this year, quality testing is essential to preventing contaminated medicines from entering the supply chain and reaching patients. In a recent article for The Medicine Maker, Dr Chaitanya Koduri, Director, International Government and Regulatory Engagement, discusses recent reports of global DEG and EG contaminations. He explains the latest guidance from the U.S. FDA and shares how manufacturers can use science-based, validated standards – including those available through USP’s free DEG/EG toolkit – to avoid manufacturing and distributing contaminated and adulterated products causing patient harm. Read the full article and learn more about USP’s efforts to prevent DEG and EG contaminations here: https://ow.ly/tbpU50RInHA ❓Has our DEG/EG toolkit impacted your quality testing procedures? Share your thoughts in the comments.

In 2024, regulatory changes to the importation and availability of nicotine vaping products (NVPs) in 2024 will mean that NVPs will only be available on prescription. Prescribers should exercise caution when prescribing unapproved products, such as NVPs, and should inform patients that their longer-term health effects are unknown. For full details on these changes and MIPS' advice to members, click here: https://lnkd.in/gtXQxb7B

Prescribing Of Topical antifungal agents #AntifungalGuidelines #InfectiousDiseases #AntimicrobialStewardship #PharmacyPractice #FungalInfections #ClinicalPharmacy #HealthcareGuidelines #MedicalEducation #Pharmacist

Today, I wanted to share this article with you in which I’ll outline the primary reasons for its existence, highlight key parameters requiring specific monitoring, illustrate potential consequences in the absence of this surveillance system, and finally, walk through the crucial steps in the production of sterile medications, along with a concrete example of parameters to monitor at each stage. #Mirrhia #EMS #EnvironmentalMonitoring

Medicines must contain ingredients approved for use by us, with approved names. Ingredients are also evaluated by us to ensure: • they are safe to use in products • they are suitable for their intended purpose • risk is minimised. TGA approved ingredient names are known as Australian Approved Names (AANs). We use strict ingredient naming protocols to ensure sponsors use correct ingredient names in online applications and any associated material (for example, labels). Head to our website to find out more about how medicine ingredients are regulated: https://lnkd.in/gJYQxTn3