CMA accuses pharma firms Pfizer and Flynn of charging NHS illegal prices for anti-epilepsy drug August 5, 2021 The UK’s competition watchdog has accused pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and Flynn of breaking competition law and overcharging the NHS for crucial anti-epilepsy drugs, in a new re-investigation following a years-long battle with the companies. Pfizer and Flynn “abused their dominant positions” and charged the NHS “unfairly high prices” for life-saving phenytoin sodium capsules, for which they [...]
Public Health England: Covid jabs have prevented 22m infections and 60,000 deaths July 29, 2021 Covid vaccines have prevented an estimated 22m infections and 60,000 deaths in England, according to new data. Jabs are also estimated to have directly averted more than 52,600 hospital admissions, new figures from Public Health England (PHE) suggest. The figures were published as England’s deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, said he hopes the [...]
CMA hits firms with £100m in fines for making drugs unaffordable for the NHS July 29, 2021 Drug company Advanz, as well as two private equity firms, have been hit with fines of over £100m by the UK’s competition watchdog for hiking vital drug prices. The investigation found that Advanz pushed up prices for thyroid tablet packs, known as liothyronine tablets, more than tenfold. A pack would have cost just £20 in [...]
Amanda Pritchard to become first female chief executive of NHS in England July 28, 2021 It’s done: Amanda Pritchard is to become the new head of the NHS in England. Pritchard has worked as chief operating officer under outgoing boss Sir Simon Stevens, who finishes his tenure at the end of the week. She will take over in the midst of a third wave of Covid-19 and as the NHS [...]
Police launches investigation after anti-vaxxer compares NHS staff to Nazis July 26, 2021 Police are investigating comments made by a notorious anti-vaccination protester who compared NHS staff to Nazi war criminals. Former nurse Kate Shemirani, who has been widely condemned including by Downing Street, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and her own son, called on supporters in Trafalgar Square to send her the details of doctors and nurses who [...]
Global pharma and data firms have had access to NHS patient data for years, analysis finds July 23, 2021 More than 40 pharmaceutical, consultancy and data companies worldwide have access to UK hospital data and medical records, according to new analysis. The detailed medical records – many from the NHS – date back years, the Financial Times first reported. Some companies with access to the records are co-founded by the Sackler family, who have [...]
Doctors call for strike action over ‘derisory’ pay offer as Covid hospitalisations rise July 22, 2021 Thousands of doctors have condemned the government’s “shambolic and derisory” 3 per cent pay rise offer to NHS staff in England, threatening industrial action as Covid hospitalisations soar. Lobbying organisation The Doctors’ Assocation (DAUK) said the 3 per cent offered “does not come close to what staff deserve” and was an “insult” from the government [...]
Government confirms 3 per cent pay rise for NHS staff in England July 21, 2021 The government has this evening announced a 3.0 per cent payrise for NHS staff in England after apparently failing to do so earlier today. In a statement tonight the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that it had accepted the recommendations of NHS independent pay review bodies in full. The pay rise covers [...]
Over 1 million children out of school last week due to ‘pingdemic’ July 20, 2021 More than 1 million state school children were off school last week because of coronavirus-related reasons, government figures revealed. The estimated number of 1.05 million school students not in class on 15 July, is a record high since all children returned to school in March, and up 11.2 per cent on figures from just one [...]
NHS Test and Trace: Covid app’s sensitivity will not be tweaked as hundreds of thousands of people self-isolate July 19, 2021 The NHS Covid-19 app will not have its sensitivity tweaked, Downing Street has confirmed, despite industries warning of staff shortages as England lifts almost all coronavirus restrictions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are among the hundreds of thousands of people currently self-isolating due to being alerted by NHS Test and Trace that [...]