August 2021

Remember to say thank you. That’s the word that’s gone out to ministers and Ministry of Health staff when dealing with health profession - als in primary care.

The common reason DHBs give for granting contracts to pharmacies offering free prescriptions is that they improve access to medicine, often for high-needs communities. Reporter Jonathan Chilton-Towle takes a hard look at the data across New Zealand

New Zealand’s fastest-growing pharmacy chain Chemist Warehouse is set to open yet another outlet – this time in the affluent Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland suburb of Milford, which will make it the seventh pharmacy within 1km in the area.

The University of Otago School of Pharmacy has hit a wall after years of pushing to get its vaccinator-training programme for pharmacy students authorised by the Ministry of Health.

Despite the closure of some pharmacies, the number of new pharmacies opening this year looks set to far surpass the annual rate of new pharmacy ventures in recent years

The Pharmacy Council responded live to questions and criticisms of its new recertification system on the Health Media’s Popcorn Panel last month.

There is not yet a date for when the legislation replacing the Medicines Act 1981 will be introduced to Parliament

A landmark report looking at the data across a range of health outcomes has exposed deep health inequity for Pacific people and calls for a more ambitious agenda for change. Anna Lee takes a closer look

Pharmacy retail sales have had mixed results this year, according to one expert, due to lockdown-related distortions to some categories, the ongoing spread of discount pharmacies, and a lift in domestic discretionary spending. Anna Lee reports

Your recent article “Spotlight: Head colds” (July issue) on managing the common cold recommended that ibuprofen should be taken with food.