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Please amend the Dispensing Guide 2004
• page 91 the methotrexate entry – add comment “5a only for high (oncology) doses not for low weekly doses”
• page 115 Appendix 4 NSAIDs with methotrexate – add ‘high dose” beside the up arrow
• page 120 Appendix 5 NSAIDs with methotrexate – add “high dose, increases concentrations/toxicity, significance 2b”,
and “low dose unlikely to increase concentrations/toxicity, significance 3b”.
The Dispensing Guide, with amendments incorporated, is on the Best Practice section of the PSNZ members’ website
I recently had a good discussion with a pharmacy auditor about the recording of Near Misses in the dispensary.
No doubt I believe every pharmacy struggle to grasp the concept of Near Misses. Is picking up an error during normal double checking procedure count as a Near Miss incident? View full article »
Medication errors involving Humalog insulin products continue to occur in New Zealand hospitals.
Three Humalog products are currently available and funded in New Zealand: Humalog, Humalog Mix 25, and Humalog Mix 50. Errors continue to occur during the prescribing, dispensing and administration of these products. View full article »
A recently released coroner’s report serves as a reminder to all healthcare professionals that the use of benzodiazepines and other hypnotics needs careful consideration when used for the treatment of insomnia.
Importantly, the duration of use and dose of hypnotics and benzodiazepines should be limited to a short course of treatment with regular review. View full article »
Prescribers are reminded that quinine is no longer indicated for the treatment of leg cramps in New Zealand.1
CARM continues to receive reports of adverse events associated with the use of quinine for leg cramps, indicating that a signi.cant number of patients are still being prescribed quinine for this off-label indication. View full article »
Non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have varying degrees of antiinflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects. These effects are related to the inhibition of the cyclo-oxygenase isoenzymes COX-1 or COX-2 that are involved in the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes.1 View full article »
The Ministry of Health has recently issued advice to healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women to supplement their dietary intake of iodine.
The Ministry recommends that healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women take a daily 150 mcg iodine-only tablet from confirmation of pregnancy until the discontinuation of breastfeeding. This tablet should be taken in addition to eating well and choosing iodine-containing foods such as low-fat milk products, eggs, seafood, and commercially prepared bread.1,2 View full article »
Serotonin syndrome, more correctly termed serotonin toxicity, is a set of predictable type A dose dependent adverse reactions caused by increased intra-synaptic/extracellular serotonin.1 View full article »
Prescribers are advised to consider the possibility of drug-induced QT prolongation or Torsades de Pointes (TdP) in patients presenting with new onset syncope, palpitations, seizures or resuscitated cardiac arrest.
QT prolongation, a surrogate marker for the risk of developing TdP, is an established side effect of Class I and Class III anti-arrhythmic medicines. It is also a rare side effect of a wide range of non-cardiac medicines including some antibiotics, antihistamines, opioid analgesics and complementary medicines. View full article »
Healthcare professionals are reminded that codeine use by breastfeeding mothers has been associated with fatal cases of infant morphine toxicity. Healthcare professionals should carefully consider the risks and benefits of codeine before recommending its use to breastfeeding mothers. View full article »
Are you aware of the changes to the Employment Relations Act and Holidays Act passed by Parliament this week? Most changes come into effect on 1 April 2011.
Key changes to the Employment Relations Act include: View full article »
A reminder about claiming in relation to faxed prescriptions.
The following is from the DHBNZ Pharmacy Procedures Manual of 1 March 2010:
“Section 4.1 Prescription Requirements
4.1.1 Prescriber Information
In addition to the legal requirements of a prescription, the following information is required for subsidy purposes: View full article »
Sanofi-Adventis stated that patients who use Clexane can access patient support items, including a patient education brochure, self injection technique DVD and a sharps container, from hospitals at no charge. View full article »
Medicines Control issues authorities under Section 42(2)(a) of the Medicines Act for depots to possess prescription medicines so that they can hold prescriptions dispensed by a pharmacy for collection.
The PQA4 audit specifically requires a pharmacy supplying a depot to have documented SOPs. There must be clear documentation as to the expectations of the pharmacy from the depot(s) and what the depot can expect from the pharmacy. In particular, this includes: View full article »
Calcipotriol (Daivonex) is a prescription medicine, except in medicines containing not more than 50mcg/g or ml and when sold in a pack of not more than 30 gram or ml by a pharmacist to an adult with mild to moderate psoriasis previously diagnosed by a doctor. This is not the same as a pharmacist-only classification, but the effect is similar – it can be sold by a pharmacist. View full article »
Confused about entitilement to the the Family’s Community Services Card or Pharmaceutical Subsidy Card e.g. the children or other memebers of the family?
As per PSNZ’s Pharmacy Practice Handbook |
3.2.15 Pharmacist Only Medicines (Restricted Medicines)New Zealand pharmacists have a unique professional opportunity to fulfil their roles as the ‘gatekeepers’ of non-prescription medicines (complementing their accepted role with prescription medicines) by providing the public with a particular group of medicines known as Pharmacist Only Medicines, or Restricted Medicines. Pharmacist Only Medicine is the preferred term to use. View full article » |
A reminder that from 1 December 2010 ketamine is a Class C4 (Schedule 3 Part 4) controlled drug. View full article »
New Zealand Pharmacy Network 