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GSK closer to cracking elusive vaccine for common respiratory virus

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline aims to get its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to regulators for review later this year, after interim data showed the vaccine was effective in a keenly-watched late-stage study involving older adults.

RSV is a leading cause of pneumonia in toddlers and the elderly, but the complex molecular structure of the virus and safety concerns have stymied efforts to develop a vaccine since the virus was first discovered in 1956.


Companies including Pfizer, J&J, Sanofi, Moderna and AstraZeneca are also racing to get an RSV therapy or vaccine approved.

The latest GSK trial is the first to show statistically significant efficacy for RSV in adults aged 60 years and older, the British drugmaker said of the ongoing study on Friday (June 10).

If approved, the RSV vaccine is expected to generate billions for GSK, which is already the world's biggest vaccine maker by sales but has faced pressure from activist investors such as Elliott Management who have urged the London-based company to shore up its drug pipeline.

The RSV data is a critical boost to GSK's drug development success rate as it prepares to spin off its consumer health venture next month into an independent listed company called Haleon.

After the split, GSK will focus solely on vaccines and prescription drugs.

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Primary care leaders join forces in effort to 'transform investment into primary care'

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has teamed up with other national primary care bodies to urge the government to allocate more funds towards the sector.

In a joint statement released on the back of the government’s spending review, last week, the organisations welcomed the government’s continued determination to ‘shift care from hospitals to community and from sickness to prevention’ but warned that this would not be possible ‘without further investment in primary care’.

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Cancer patients warned against using weight-loss jabs

Macmillan Cancer Support said there is not enough evidence on how the weight-loss jabs might affect anti-cancer treatments.

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Cancer patients have been advised to consult their doctor before taking any weight-loss jabs.

Macmillan Cancer Support has issued this advisory following a surge in calls by cancer patients asking whether they can take fat loss jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.

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Kamsons Pharmacy has announced that it has implemented a state-of-the-art hub and spoke dispensing model with the aim of freeing up more time to deliver clinical services.

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RPS group aims to tackle barriers holding back black pharmacy students

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RPS group aims to tackle barriers holding back black pharmacy students

A cross-sector group aimed at tackling barriers that block the progression of black students and trainee pharmacists held its first meeting this week.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has created the Differential Attainment Oversight Group to address issues that black or black British African student pharmacists and foundation trainees face such as limited access to work experience, financial support and visible role models in education and training.

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People are being advised to keep medicine below 25° C

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Pharmacies advise patients on storing medicines safely during heatwave

Patients are being given important advice and guidance on the impact heat can have on their medicine and where to keep different medicines as the UK goes through a heatwave.

People are being advised to keep medicine below 25° C if they are able to, unless storage instructions state it needs to be kept at an alternative temperature, such as drugs that need to be refrigerated.

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