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27/09/18
Non-Executive Directors – Health Research Authority (HRA)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care wishes to appoint three Non-Executive Directors to the Health Research Authority, an arm’s-length body that protects and promotes the interests of patients and the public in health and social care research. The HRA was established as a Non-Departmental Public Body in January 2015.
One of the Non-executive Director roles is intended for someone in 'pharmaceutical, biotech or other life science industry, with a track record in innovation.'
We encourage members of the FPM with the relevant experience to apply.
Find out more and apply here.
27/7/18
Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards - vacancy
The Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA) advises health ministers on the presentation of clinical excellence awards to consultants working in the NHS. ACCEA is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care. Trustee of the FPM, Dr Stuart Dollow, has just been appointed as the new chair of the committee.
There is currently a vacancy for a lay member of the committee. The information pack for members can be found here and the application form here.
The closing date for applications is the 24th August. Dr Dollow would be willing to dicuss the role with any potential applicants - please contact him via email.
21/3/18
House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee release report on 'Brexit: medicines, medical devices and substances of human origin'
Today the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee has released its report on 'Brexit: medicines, medical devices and substances of human origin'. The committee calls for negotiators on both sides must heed the call of industry and patient groups in securing the closest possible regulatory alignment in the next round of Brexit talks.
FPM President, Prof Alan Boyd said:
"Everyone who participated in this inquiry, from their comments or at the hearings, gave the same message - that the UK through the MHRA should have a continued relationship with the EMA. With the publication of this inquiry report from the Health and Social Care Committee, it also delivers the same message to Government that both the UK and the EU should be looking to secure this continued relationship. This is in the best interests of patients across the whole of Europe and politics should not get in the way of achieving this outcome."
20/11/17
European Medicines Agency to move to Amsterdam
Today’s ballot in Brussels, which involved representatives of every EU country (excluding the UK), has resulted in Amsterdam being selected as the new home for the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A total of 19 cities bid to host the EMA.
The EMA has been headquartered in the UK since the 1990s and has 890 staff based in London. Since hosting the EMA headquarters, the UK has had an extensive role in planning and chairing various medical schemes and leading many of the EMA’s regulatory activities.
Professor Alan Boyd, President of the FPM, said:
"It is reassuring to know that Amsterdam has now been agreed as the location for the EMA once the UK has left the EU. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on medicines development and early access to new drugs for patients in the UK. The EMA currently regulates medicines for the entire EU market, with the imminent changes, it is important that everyone involved in the transition process and beyond, focuses on patient safety and public health. Patients must be put first above any other priority."
25/10/17
HRA release updated guidance on Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training, endorsed by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine
"Researchers should not waste time completing inappropriate training, according to updated HRA guidance. Instead, researchers should be appropriately trained by qualifications and experience for their role."
HRA joint statement with the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) advocates a proportionate approach to the application of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) to researcher training. It has been created in partnership with the Devolved Administrations and is supported by a number of organisations including the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Ethical Medicines Industry Group.
GCP is an international ethical and scientific quality standard for designing, conducting, recording and reporting clinical trials that involve the participation of human subjects.
http://beta.hra.nhs.uk/documents/1091/gcp-training-joint-statement.pdf
28/9/17
Tests of Competence and Revalidation Panel Members
London and Manchester
The Tests of Competence and Revalidation Assessment Panel is a new entity that will oversee the development of both assessments. The Tests of Competence are tailored exams undertaken by individual doctors as a part of our fitness to practise proceedings. They include a clinical and a written component. The Revalidation Assessment is a written specialty focussed paper taken by a small number of doctors who do not have a Responsible Officer.
The GMC is looking panel members from across the specialties. Please click here to find out more and apply.
Closing date: 18 October 2017 at midnight.
Interview dates:
- Manchester 10 and 13 November 2017
- London 20 and 27 November 2017
29/8/17
Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick DBE DM FRCP
1924-2017
Dame Margaret (second from right) at the inauguration of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine
Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick, former president of the Royal College of Physicians London and founder of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, died peacefully on Monday 21 August 2017 at the age of 92. Dame Margaret was the first female President of the RCP, from 1989 to 1992, following a brilliant academic and clinical career as a world authority in respiratory medicine.
8/12/16
British Pharmacological Society public engagement resources
As part of a new library of public engagement resources, the BPS has just released a new toolkit to help its members start conversations with the public about the cost and affordability of medicines: https://www.bps.ac.uk/cost
This includes a new YouTube video about the creation of a new medicine, and the costs associated with the drug discovery pipeline: https://youtu.be/btUT4IYrA2w
16/11/16
New opinion piece in Pharmaceutical Journal today from Professor Ken Paterson and BPS President – and FPM Honorary Fellow – Professor David Webb - on drugs funding in the UK:
14/6/16
RPS Updated guidance for the prescribers of Specials published
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society today published guidance for the prescribers of specials. Dr Keith Bragman, past-President of the FPM, was a member of the RPS working group that developed the guidance.
Download the document here.
16/5/16
BMA Medical Academic Staff Committee - update
The BMA's MASC committee have prepared an update on their latest discussions and actions. Read it here.
12/2/16
Errors in the BNF for children
Clarity around new editions of BNF for Children (BNFC) 2015-2016
UK Medicines Information (UKMi), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacy Group (NPPG) and BNF have published a statement concerning clarifications and corrections around the recently published 2015-2016 edition of BNFC. The statement can be viewed on the BNF website.
The statement addresses the following in particular:
the identification of a small number of dose errors
changes in the presentation of the preparations
comments relating to the new format.
Paper editions of BNFC 2015-16 have been recommended to have the corrections placed within each copy; the online version has been updated to include the corrections.
See the accompanying document: List of corrections to BNFC 2015-2016.
9/10/15
CMO advice on flu vaccinations
All medical royal colleges and faculties have been asked by the Chief Medical Officer to circulate the linked information regarding flu vaccinations and to encourage vaccination, where appropriate.
3/09/15
Medicine and Law journal announces call for papers for theme issue on 'Pharmaceutics'
Read more here.
15/12/14
AoMRC Flexible careers committee’s Maternity / Paternity leave survey
If you have ever taken either maternity or paternity leave the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Flexible Careers Committee kindly invites you to take part in this national survey.
The results will be used to develop improved standards and guidelines, particularly with regard to support when returning to work. We will also use the data to lobby government and employers to improve facilities and support for employees during periods of maternity/paternity leave with an emphasis on retaining skills and preparing for return to work.
To access the survey please click on the link below
https://www.rcpworkforce.com/se.ashx?s=253122AC4D2F8B44
The survey will close on Friday 30 January 2015 at 1700 hours
The results will be anonymous and will only be reported in aggregated form but we hope many of the respondants will agree to supply email contacts at the end of the survey so we can consult on outcome recommendations.
27/11/14
RCP reaffirms position against assisted dying
A survey of the fellows and members of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has shown that a majority of respondents still do not support a change in the law on assisted dying. This broadly reflects the overarching result of the RCP’s 2006 survey, although the number taking this position has fallen. The RCP recognises that this is a difficult and personal issue for doctors and society, and therefore RCP Council felt it was important to consult fellows and members.
The current UK legal position is that assisting another person’s suicide is illegal.
The 2014 survey asked fellows and members four questions on the issue, covering their own personal opinion, and for the first time, a separate question on whether they believed the RCP as an organisation should have a position. The survey included the exact wording of the question RCP first asked in 2006, so that the results could be directly compared to track changes in opinion.
Find out more here https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/press-releases/rcp-reaffirms-position-against-assisted-dying
3/11/14
Launch of British Pharmacological Society report
The British Pharmacological Society is launching a new report today called ‘A Prescription for the NHS: Recognising the value of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics’
Read the news release here.
Read the report here.
Watch a video about the new report and its recommendations below.
29/10/14
Royal Photographic Society’s Combined Royal Colleges Medal 2015
Find out more here.
29/09/14
Five innovators join the Pharmacology Hall of Fame
UK initiative honours pioneers in the science of new medicines
Monday 29 September 2014, London UK: The British Pharmacological Society today announced that its +3,000 members have elected five trailblazers in the science of new medicines to its Pharmacology Hall of Fame. The following distinguished individuals were elected this year:
- Bill Bowman
- Sir Derrick Dunlop
- Hans Kosterlitz
- Heinz Otto Schild
- Marthe Vogt
The Pharmacology Hall of Fame will be officially unveiled by the British Pharmacological Society at a special reception in London this evening. The Society’s members have chosen to honour these individuals based upon their distinction and peer recognition in science and/or long and valuable service to the Society. Only ten individuals have been elected in the two years since this posthumous honour was created.
The Pharmacology Hall of Fame will be showcased as part of the Society’s ongoing educational work, including scientific meetings, workshops and science fairs across the UK.
Read more here
18/12/13
Primary Care model Clinical Trial Agreement (Primary Care mCTA)
A new model agreement to speed up the process of setting up industry-sponsored clinical trials in primary care has been launched The model Clinical Trial Agreement for biopharmaceutical industry sponsored research in primary care (Primary Care mCTA) has been developed by the NIHR in collaboration with NISCHR, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the BioIndustry Association, a number of highly research-active general Practitioners, the British Medical Association, the Medical Protection Society and the health departments of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Primary Care mCTA is designed to simplify and therefore speed up the process for signing off and initiating pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical clinical trials involving patients in primary care.
It is intended that the Primary Care mCTA is used routinely without modification by all pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry sponsors of contract clinical research in which NHS patients are recruited in primary care. In such cases, no further legal review is necessary, saving money and time.
The launch of this new agreement is another positive step to develop the NHS as a world class environment for health research, and its development demonstrates the willingness of GPs to collaborate on reducing the barriers to clinical research.
The mCTA and guidance are available via the following link:
http://www.healthresearchwales.com/contracts-advice-and-support
17/07/13
NIHR Themed Call: Preventing the development and spread of Antimicrobial Resistance
The NIHR Antimicrobial Resistance Themed Call is now open and receiving applications for research funding. This call is for research into the evaluation of public health measures, health care interventions and health services to reduce the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance and consequent morbidity.
21/11/12
Health Research Analysis (2012) report
The second report of the Health Research Analysis (2012) is now available to download from the UKCRC and MRC websites. The report compiles information from the 12 largest public and charitable funders of medical research in the UK. The data relates to a 'snapshot' of health research spend in 2009/2010 and is only the second time that such a detailed analysis has been carried out. Importantly, it highlights the increase in direct spend on research and areas identified as requiring building up since the first analysis from 2004/2005.
Please access via the links below:
http://www.ukcrc.org/ukcrc-health-research-analysis-2012/
http://www.ukcrc.org/researchcoordination/healthresearchanalysis/ukanalysis/
http://www.ukcrc.org/publications/reports/
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Utilities/Documentrecord/index.htm?d=MRC008927
17/08/12
Publication of the 2012 edition of the ABPI Guidelines for Phase 1 Clinical Trials
The ABPI have published the fifth edition of the ABPI Guidelines for Phase 1 Clinical Trials, with a Foreword by Sir Gordon Duff (Chair of the CHMP). This is a 2012 update of the 4th (2007) edition.
The Guidelines can be found on the ABPI website:
http://www.abpi.org.uk/our-work/library/guidelines/Pages/phase-1-trials-2012.aspx
16/08/12
GMC report on consultation to recognise and approve trainers
The GMC has published its report on the consultation to recognise and approve trainers. Please visit this link to download the GMC's report and implementation plan.
17/02/12
GMC agrees on way forward on national examinations that count towards CCT
The GMC has agreed that any valid pass in a professional national examination can count towards a CCT provided that the candidate enters or re-enters approved training within seven years of the examination pass. The GMC has also stated that no candidate will normally be allowed more than six attempts at a examination.
13/02/12
NRES/Involve study - Public involvement in research applications to the National Research Ethics Service
NRES and Involve, the national advisory group that supports greater public involvement in NHS, have recenmtly published a joint report on increasing public participation in health research. Download the document here.
26/01/12
GMC guidance on raising and acting on concerns and leadership and management for all doctors
The GMC has just released two new guidance documents relating to raising and acting on concerns about doctors.
- Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety
- Leadership and management for all doctors
23/01/12
New GMC website - Your Health Matters
Click here to visit a new website designed to provide information and advice about the support that is available to doctors with health concerns.