AstraZeneca said on Thursday (December 16) a lab-study of its Covid-19 antibody cocktail, Evusheld, found that the treatment retained neutralising activity against the Omicron coronavirus variant, showing promise for wider use of the therapy.
The study was conducted by independent investigators of the US Food and Drug Administration, the company said, adding that more analyses of Evusheld against Omicron are being conducted by AstraZeneca and third-parties, with data expected "very soon".
More and more pharmacy professionals are reaching out for help, said Danielle Hunt.
Pharmacist Support – the independent charity dedicated to the pharmacy profession – is celebrating 184 years of service with the launch of a special birthday donations appeal.
On 15 April, the charity is urging individuals and organisations across the sector to support its campaign to raise vital funds to meet the increasing demand for its mental health and wellbeing services.
Founded in 1841, Pharmacist Support provides free and confidential help to pharmacists, trainees, and students facing challenging circumstances.
The charity stated that, as sector pressures continue to rise, the need for its support services has become more critical than ever.
“More and more people across the profession are reaching out for help,” said Danielle Hunt, chief executive of Pharmacist Support.
In the past year alone, referrals for counselling increased by 23%, and there was a 15% rise in the number of individuals supported through the charity’s Listening Friends peer support service – a 72% increase compared to 2020.
“These numbers highlight the growing demand for our services—and donations are essential to helping us continue to meet that need,” Hunt said.
In the charity’s most recent Workforce Wellbeing Survey, conducted in partnership with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), 35% of pharmacy professionals rated their mental health as poor or very poor, while 87% were identified to be at high risk of burnout.
Additionally, 56% reported that medicine shortages had negatively affected their wellbeing in the past year.
To commemorate its anniversary, the charity is encouraging supporters to donate £18.40—a symbolic gesture tied to its founding year of 1841.
Supporters are encouraged to get involved in whichever way suits them best:
“We’re asking our pharmacy family to come together and show their support,” said Hunt.
“Every donation—no matter the size —helps us continue to be there for those who need us most.”
PRS saliva test can identify prostate cancer that was missed by an MRI scan
A simple at-home spit test could help detect prostate cancer earlier, saving the NHS around £500 million a year, according to new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the study found that the DNA-based saliva test was more accurate than the current prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test in identifying men at risk of developing prostate cancer.
The test uses a polygenic risk score (PRS) – calculated from 130 genetic variations linked to prostate cancer – to identify men most likely to develop the disease.
Researchers assessed DNA from 6,142 men of European ancestry aged 55 to 69, a group with a higher risk of prostate cancer.
Of the 468 men in the highest 10% of genetic risk, 40% were later diagnosed with prostate cancer following MRI scans and biopsies.
This compares with the PSA test, where just 1 in 4 men with a positive result is found to have prostate cancer.
The PRS saliva test also detected a higher proportion of the aggressive cancers than the PSA test and was even more accurate than MRI scans in some high-risk cases. It also picked up cancers that the PSA test would have missed.
Researchers estimated that the spit test could help detect up to 12,350 cases of prostate cancer earlier each year, potentially saving the NHS around £500 million annually.
Currently, prostate cancer risk is assessed through the PSA blood test, which measures levels of the prostate-specific antigen protein.
PSA levels can be elevated in men with prostate cancer and are used to identify those at higher risk due to age, ethnicity, or the presence of symptoms.
However, the PSA test falsely indicates prostate cancer in men 3 out of 4 times and often identifies slow-growing cancers that are unlikely to become life-threatening. This can lead to unnecessary MRIs, invasive biopsies, and treatments.
The researchers suggested that the PRS saliva test could be an additional screening tool for men at higher risk of prostate cancer or those presenting with symptoms.
“With this test, it could be possible to turn the tide on prostate cancer,” said Professor Ros Eeles, Professor of Oncogenetics at The Institute of Cancer Research and Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Cancer Genetics at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
“We have shown that a relatively simple, inexpensive spit test to identify men of European heritage at higher risk due to their genetic makeup is an effective tool to catch prostate cancer early.”
The test is now being evaluated in the £42 million TRANSFORM trial, jointly funded by NIHR and Prostate Cancer UK.
This large-scale trial, launched in spring 2024, is the UK’s biggest prostate cancer screening study in decades and will directly compare the saliva test to PSA and MRI screening methods.
The study will assess whether those with a low genetic risk may benefit from an alternative screening tool.
Each year, more than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK – roughly 144 a day – and around 12,000 die from the disease.
Despite its prevalence, there is currently no national screening programme, and the disease often shows no symptoms until it has advanced.
With RPS Learn, pharmacists can develop a new skill or improve their understanding of practice or a clinical topic.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has launched a new online learning platform designed to support the practice, development and career advancement of its members.
The new platform, called RPS Learn, offers a diverse range of bite-size learning content, available on-demand, catering to all levels — from introductory to advanced and specialist —combining new content with RPS's renowned expertise in education and training to achieve excellence for learners.
Available free to RPS members, it features over 20 e-learning modules, with new content to be added regularly, covering a broad spectrum of clinical topics and professional development skills.
Modules are divided into the following groups:
Members can also access development programmes aligned to career stages or milestones, starting with a dedicated programme for new prescribers launching in June.
RPS Learn supports members to achieve outcomes within the RPS national professional curricula and frameworks, all of which can be added to their e-Portfolio to record evidence of learning and development throughout their career.
Additionally, members will receive regular updates and advice on learning content from RPS.
“RPS Learn represents a significant step forward in empowering pharmacy professionals to enhance their skills, knowledge, and career development,” said Helen Chang, associate director of education at RPS.
“Whether you want to master a new skill or improve your understanding of practice or a clinical topic, RPS Learn can help.”
She noted that the learning content has been created and checked by experts, ensuring that the most essential and up-to-date information is provided to the members.
RPS president Professor Claire Anderson said: "As we transition to becoming a Royal College, the launch of these innovative learning resources demonstrates our commitment to supporting our members and advancing the pharmacy profession.”
“RPS Learn will provide great opportunities for professional development, ensuring that our members are equipped with the knowledge and skills to excel in their careers and deliver exceptional patient care."
HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer is currently incurable, and treatment aims to slow progression and prolong life
Every year, thousands of people with hormone receptor (HR)-positive HER2-negative breast cancer could benefit from a new twice-a-day tablet, now set to be funded immediately through the Cancer Drugs Fund.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved the use of capivasertib (also known as Truqap), in combination with fulvestrant, as an option for around 1,100 adults with HR-positive HER2-negative breast cancer that has certain genetic mutations and has spread.
“We’re looking at capivasertib with fulvestrant for people whose cancer has come back or got worse after treatment with a type of drug called a CKD 4 and 6 inhibitor and an aromatase inhibitor, a type of hormone therapy,” NICE said.
Developed by AstraZeneca, capivasertib is a targeted treatment called a kinase inhibitor, and it works by “blocking the action of an abnormal protein that tells cancer cells to multiply”, helping slow or stop the spread of cancer cells.
Clinical trial results have shown that capivasertib plus fulvestrant can delay disease progression by approximately 4.2 months compared with placebo plus fulvestrant.
“People with advanced breast cancer would value treatments like capivasertib that can be given when limited options exist and because it may delay the need for chemotherapy and its associated side-effects,” said Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE.
“We are therefore pleased the company has worked with us so that we are able to recommend this promising new treatment as a good use of NHS resources and value for money for taxpayers.”
NICE noted that although capivasertib plus fulvestrant has not been directly compared in a clinical trial with other recommended treatments like alpelisib plus fulvestrant and everolimus plus exemestane, indirect comparisons suggest it is likely to offer similar benefits.
HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer is currently incurable, and treatment aims to slow progression and prolong life. But, outcomes appear to be worse if the cancer has alterations in the PIK3CA, AKT1 or PTEN genes.
With this decision, NICE has now approved 24 out of the 25 breast cancer treatments it has reviewed over the past seven years.
The 2025 VPAG payment rate for newer medicines has been set at 22.9 per cent.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the government have agreed to bring forward a planned review of the 2024 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access, and Growth (VPAG), originally scheduled for autumn 2025.
The review is expected to be completed in June 2025, aligning with the anticipated release of the government’s 10-year NHS Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan as part of the broader industry strategy this summer.
The 2024 Voluntary Scheme, which came into effect on 1 January 2024 following the expiry of the 2019 agreement, aims to support the affordability of branded medicines for the NHS, improve patient access to the latest lifesaving treatments and boost the UK’s position as a global leader in advanced healthcare, technology, and clinical research. It will remain in place until the end of 2028.
The deal included a planned review of scheme terms in the autumn of 2025 to allow the government and industry to propose and implement necessary changes to ensure the scheme is delivering on its objectives.
The review will focus on addressing concerns about the significantly higher than expected ‘headline payment rate’ for newer medicines in the scheme to restore its predictability and sustainability.
Richard Torbett, chief executive of the ABPI, welcomed the move, stating:“Wes Streeting has made clear his determination to work with our industry to address existing commercial challenges while also setting out a bold vision to transform the way the health system values medical innovation.”
“The first step is to address high and unpredictable medicine payment rates in June so we can then power forward to support the NHS 10-year plan and deliver the government's upcoming life sciences strategy.”
The 2025 VPAG payment rate for newer medicines has been set at 22.9 per cent, significantly higher than the industry had anticipated.
The association described the increase as “the highest-ever level” and warned that this would place “a very real strain on companies, which will not have factored this rate into their business plans for 2025.”
It highlighted that the industry will be required to pay around £3.4 billion to the government in 2025—more than the total payments made over the entire five-year VPAG scheme from 2014 to 2018.
Last month, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) also proposed raising the Statutory Scheme payment rate for newer branded medicines from 15.5% to 32.2% in the second half of 2025, aiming to bring it in line with the VPAG headline rate.
The ABPI argued that rocketing payment rates are undermining government efforts to make life sciences a key pillar of its industrial strategy.
“The government has rightly identified life sciences as a critical growth sector for the economy, but unless these excessive payment rates under both the VPAG and Statutory Scheme are addressed, the UK will not see the growth and investment we all want,” said Torbett.
“We need an urgent ministerial commitment to work with industry to get the UK back to an internationally competitive position,” he added.
Both the Statutory Scheme and the VPAG regulate NHS spending on branded medicines.
