CLASS 2 RECALL - ABSTRAL TAB 200MCG (SCHEDULE 2 CD)

Kyowa Kirin Limited is recalling the below batches as a precautionary measure, due to the reports of double tablets in a single blister pocket. This is a follow up alert, following the issue of EL (20)A/34. Since this notification, Kyowa Kirin Limited have initiated corrective actions to resolve the issue. Complaint batches 608973601 and 608973602 were manufactured prior to the corrective actions being implemented...

This product is a Schedule 2 Controlled Drug, so please use the Returns Portal for any recalled stock you may need to return to ensure there is authorisation to return. If you are unable to use the Returns Portal then your Alliance Healthcare driver will have a ‘Specialist Product Recall Book’ with them on Thursday 26^th November and Friday 27th November  for completion and product uplift AM ONLY. Due to Covid 19, the driver will complete the form on your behalf.  They will ask for the quantity of stock you have to return and the name of the pharmacist. The driver will give you a copy of the completed form for your records.

If you need to return recalled stock from 28th November and are unable to use the Returns Portal please call Customer Services for authorisation to return.

Further Information

For Stock control enquiries please contact: Karen Murray, Commercial Manager

Telephone: +44 (0) 7712 001288

E-mail: karen.murray@kyowakirin.com

For Medical information enquiries please contact:

Medical Information Direct Line: + 44 (0)1896 664 000

E-mail: medinfo@kyowakirin.com

For Quality information please contact: Martin Smith (Responsible Person)

Telephone: +44 7904671807

E-mail: Martin.Smith@kyowakirin.com

Please return all affected stock to your original supplier for credit. Unfortunately we can only accept stock purchased from us (Alliance Healthcare Distribution Limited). Any other stock will be returned to your stores/Pharmacies.

This recall will remain open for 3 months from the date issued unless an alternative date is agreed by instigator. The closure of this will be 25/02/2021. Please note after this date customer returns may still be accepted but customers may not be credited

Alliance Healthcare and Boots UK Donate 500,000 Lifesaving Medicine, Almus Dexamethasone to the NHS

Alliance Healthcare, the UK’s largest medical wholesaler and partner to the NHS, and Boots UK, the largest pharmacy-led health and beauty chain in the UK, both part of Walgreens Boots Alliance, have donated 500,000 2mg Almus Dexamethasone tablets to the NHS in a joint commitment to the NHS and UK patients in support of the fight against COVID-19.

The decision came when UK experts at RECOVERY clinical trial[1] announced the benefits of Dexamethasone in June, describing how the low-dose steroid treatment can reduce fatalities by up to one third in hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19.

Working together, Julian Mount, Alliance Healthcare UK Managing Director and Seb James, Managing Director of Boots UK and ROI, wrote letters to Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive Officer of the NHS and Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with an offer to donate the lifesaving medicine to the NHS and support the major breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19.

Alliance Healthcare UK has recently completed delivery of the 500,000 2mg Almus Dexamethasone tablets to Public Heath England, who are holding stockpiles of medicines to be distributed to the NHS hospitals across the UK, as and when needed. Julian Mount commented: “The outcome presented a fantastic opportunity for Alliance Healthcare and Boots UK to further demonstrate their support and friendship to the NHS.”

John Southall, Senior Pharmacy Purchasing Technician at Mid and South Essex University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It was evident from early COVID-19 trials that Dexamethasone was very important in the treatment of severely ill patients as it was shown to improve symptoms very quickly in some patients, consequently preventing many patients progressing on to requiring costly mechanical ventilation and long term hospital care.”

Commenting on the donation John Southall adds: “It was very generous and civic minded of Alliance Healthcare to donate this quantity to the NHS. The quantity fed into the Central Stock Pile was vast, and exceeded actual requirements.”

Julian Mount said: “The hard work and dedication of the NHS to patients across the UK continues to amaze me and I hope the recent donation of Almus Dexamethasone will help to save lives and support the incredible efforts of NHS teams.”

Seb James added: “In times of national pandemic, and as we see incident rates rising, we believe that it’s the duty of all businesses to do what they can to support the national effort and fight against COVID-19. I believe that this donation is another way that we can practically offer our support to the NHS and Government, and we feel very proud to do so.”

Celebrating World Children's Day

This 20 November 2020, see’s Alliance Healthcare recognising World Children Day by setting our colleagues a cooking challenge to raise funds for our wonderful charity partner, Vitamin Angels UK, kindly supported by the sponsor of our event, the LCM Group an established company located in the North West who’s business includes the Design, Building and Maintenance of commercial properties and complexes within the UK.

Using only £5 or less, our internal teams have been asked to create a healthy dish to raise awareness of childhood nutrition in the UK.

It is estimated that one in four children in the UK are from low income households and are at risk for food insecurity.  With limited resources, food insecure families often resort to purchasing inexpensive and sometime unhealthy foods.  With our colleagues help, we’re hoping to create some low cost, healthy alternatives for inspiration!

Vitamin Angels UK is a global charity that fights childhood malnutrition in the UK and around the world. In the UK, Vitamin Angels has a supplemental feeding programme that supports children from low-income communities who can benefit from increased access to better nutrition. The cost to reach a child with a nutritious serving of food is only 20p. Globally, Vitamin Angels provides women and  children with life-changing vitamins and minerals. They work in over 70 countries around the world and reach over 70 million women and children every year.

Our thanks go out to our exclusive sponsor of this event, the LCM Group, for their support in helping to raise awareness of our chosen charity.

To find out more about the fantastic work of  Vitamin Angels UK or to contribute to our charity partner, click here.

New State-of-the Art Warehouse Facility for Alloga UK

Alloga UK, one of the country’s leading healthcare pre-wholesaling and contract logistics companies, is to open another state-of-the art warehouse facility in the East Midlands.

Alloga UK provides supply chain solutions to the healthcare industry, offering specialist storage, fulfilment and distribution services for pharmaceutical, healthcare, medical device, veterinary and consumer product manufacturing companies. 

Alloga UK’s operations are currently based in South Normanton, with eight pharma-grade warehouses and the company’s strategy is one of growth and continued investment for a sound future for the business and its employees.

The company now needs to further expand its storage and distribution capacity in order to accommodate growth from new business wins, post Brexit and Covid-19 stock builds and increase in volumes from existing clients to provide capacity for continued growth beyond 2020.

Alloga UK is now delighted to announce that a new site will be added to their current warehouse portfolio, and is planned to be fully commissioned and operationally live in mid-2021.

Currently named  Derby 370, this new site, which will be known as AP8, is located on Derby Commercial Park which is 20 miles south of the Alloga Campus with good links to the M1 motorway and two miles east of the city of Derby facilitating good access to the working population. The distribution site has been developed by the owners, Panattoni (the world’s largest privately owned industrial developer) and it is significantly larger than Alloga’s existing warehouses, allowing them much needed new capacity for sustained future growth.

The specification of the site includes:

- Total size of 371,000 sq ft (34,466 sq m)

- 15 metres to haunch

- Capacity for c.70,000 pallets of storage (euro pallets)

- BREEAM = Very Good status

- Administration offices over three floors

- Warehouse office hub over two floors

- 74 HGV lorry parking spaces and 270 car parking spaces

- 24 dock level doors, eight Double Deck docks and three level access doors

Chris Williams, Managing Director of Alloga UK, states: “It is always fantastic news when we open new facilities, and Derby 370 is particularly exciting because it will be our largest warehouse and the first warehouse which is not located in South Normanton.

It gives us the opportunity to expand the capabilities of our pre-wholesale business, and further increase job opportunities for existing staff and also new skilled and talented staff from the Derby area.

“Our capabilities and service offering for our customers, and manufacturer partners, will continue to evolve with this considerable investment, which will also further enhance our ability to provide innovative solutions and services to meet the ever changing needs of our clients.”

Alliance Healthcare is proudly celebrating Diwali

Across our business, we have a workforce that is diverse and rich in culture, much like our customer base.

In the spirit of this, we have put together a short video featuring our team member Marni Gill, who shares whatDiwali is and what it means for him.

Have a look at our celebration video!

Our Managaing Director, Julian Mount, also features in this month’s Pharmacy Business Diwali special, alongside pharmacists and pharmacy leaders, sharing hopes and aspirations for the year ahead, as well as reflecting on the year that has passed.

On behalf of all of us at Alliance Healthcare, we wish a happy Diwali to all those who celebrate.

CLASS 2 RECALL - ANCOTIL 2.5 G/250 ML SOLUTION FOR INFUSION

: Mylan UK Healthcare Ltd has been informed of a non-compliance event which occurred during the most recent inspection at the contract manufacturing site for the above product in relation to product sterility. As a precautionary measure, remaining stock of the above batches are being recalled.

For more information or medical information enquiries please contact Mylan UK Healthcare Ltd Medical Information Department on +44(0) 1707 853000 or via email at Info.uk@mylan.co.uk.

Please return all affected stock to your original supplier for credit. Unfortunately we can only accept stock purchased from us (Alliance Healthcare Distribution Limited). Any other stock will be returned to your stores/Pharmacies

This recall will remain open for 3 months from the date issued unless an alternative date is agreed by instigator. The closure of this will be 12/02/2021. Please note after this date customer returns may still be accepted but customers may not be credited.

CLASS 2 RECALL - Sodiofolin 50mg/ml Solution for Injection 100mg/2ml

medac Pharma LLP is recalling the below batch of products due to some inspected vials showing hairline damage to the shoulder of the vials. So far, the company has not received any reports of damage for marketed products. However, as this defect may impact on the sterility of the product, the above batch is being recalled as a precautionary measure

Please note that Alliance Healthcare do not stock and we are not accepting stock returns.

For more information or medical information queries, please contact info@medacpharma.co.uk or telephone 01786 458086

Recipients of this Drug Alert should bring it to the attention of relevant contacts.

If you have any questions, then please contact your local Service Centre Customer Services team

Class 4 Drug Caution in use - Kolanticon Gel

Intrapharm Laboratories Ltd has informed us that there is a difference in dosage instructions between the carton and label. The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) and bottle label contain the correct instructions.

This may have been supplied by AHDL. Unfortunately we are not providing specific batch information you will  be required to follow the instructions as per the drug alert.

This is a caution in use only we are not accepting stock returns.

For more information or medical information queries, please contact: medinfo@intrapharmlabs.com or telephone +44 (0)330 1359 437.

Recipients of this Drug Alert should bring it to the attention of relevant contacts.

If you have any questions, then please contact your local Service Centre Customer Services team

Alcura achieves data security certification

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has accredited Alcura with its prestigious data security standard  

Alcura, our patient care business, has worked tirelessly over the last few years to ensure patient data is protected and that all its systems and processes are secure and stable.

The hard work has paid off as the business has been awarded with a data security accreditation, known as the ISO27001, from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – an independent, non-governmental organisation for international standards in areas such as quality, health and safety, IT security, energy, and environmental management.

It’s not easy to achieve but it’s an important one for hospital trusts and manufacturer partners as it demonstrates that data security is taken seriously by the business. And this will strengthen Alcura’s position when submitting tenders. It’s also the team’s third ISO accreditation as they already have the Quality Management (ISO9001) and Environmental Management (ISO14001) certifications.

Commenting on the team’s latest achievement Simon Jones, Head of Homecare and Secondary Care, says: “We work very closely with the NHS and a number of hospital trusts, and support over 34,000 homecarepatients. We have a special responsibility to look after our patients and we take protecting their data seriously. I’m very proud of the team for attaining this endorsement as it’s one of the hardest to achieve.” 

Alcura’s work on data protection was also acknowledged in 2019 as they won an internal WBA award for a data privacy project with Boots, which enabled HIV patients to collect their medication anonymously.

Walgreens Boots Alliance and McKesson Complete the Formation of German Wholesale Joint Venture

Joint venture demonstrates innovative strength of two companies with impressive and trusted healthcare heritage in the German wholesale market

Deerfield, Ill. and Irving, Texas, Nov. 2, 2020

Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) and McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK) today announced the completion of their previously announced agreement to create a joint venture combining their respective pharmaceutical wholesale businesses in Germany, Alliance Healthcare Deutschland (AHD) and GEHE Pharma Handel (GEHE). WBA holds a 70 percent controlling equity interest in the joint venture and McKesson holds the remaining 30 percent interest.

“At Walgreens Boots Alliance, we all look forward to working together with McKesson Corporation on this joint venture,” said Ornella Barra, co-chief operating officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance. “It is a very exciting step for our Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division and a unique chance for us to further develop innovative services to manufacturers and pharmacists in Germany.”

“The completion of this strategic partnership with Walgreens Boots Alliance enables us to strengthen and secure the future of pharmaceutical distribution in the German market,” said Kevin Kettler, chairman of the management board and president McKesson International. “Together, we look forward to delivering a successful model of operations to benefit the German healthcare ecosystem of patients, pharmacies and manufacturers.”

With future challenges in the healthcare sector, the new company is committed to strengthening the pharmacist's position as a healthcare professional, creating innovative added value services and significantly enhancing digitalisation and operational excellence.