In this month’s podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss some of the implications related to funding of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). They consider the Court of Appeal decision on funding and the role of clinical and health economic evaluations for preventative treatments. Full article available here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/55/3/25.

The editors also review the evidence for a new formulation of desmopressin for nocturia in adults (http://dtb.bmj.com/content/55/3/30) and discuss penicillin allergy (http://dtb.bmj.com/content/55/3/33).

Find out more about the March issue here:

http://dtb.bmj.com/content/55/3/26.

In this month’s podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss the risk of hyperkalaemia associated with spironolactone in people with heart failure. They consider recent advice issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and highlight the importance of regular monitoring of potassium and renal function.

The editors also review the evidence for daclizumab, a drug for relapsing multiple sclerosis, and provide a brief introduction to the rationale and methods of qualitative research in health care.

In this month’s podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss a proposal from NHS England to introduce a sore throat test-and-treat service in community pharmacies. They review the evidence on the management of sore throat and examine the assumptions that underpin the proposed service.

The editors also discuss pitolisant, a new drug for narcolepsy, and review the evidence for LAMA/LABA inhaler combinations for people with COPD.

Read more about this issue here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/55/1.toc.

"Clarity begins at home". In this podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) start by remembering DTB's founding editor, Andrew Herxheimer's golden rules for prescribing.

The DTB editors also discuss 'gliptins' in the management of diabetes and evidence from recent cardiovascular outcome studies, as well as, psychological interventions for eating disorders.

The full editorial is available here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/early/2016/12/05/dtb.2016.12.0439.full. You can also watch the video interview with Andrew Herxheimer here: http://tinyurl.com/jybvocp.

In this month’s podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss changes to the rubella screening programme and the need to ensure that MMR vaccinations are up to date, especially in younger women born outside the UK. Read the full editorial here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/11/121.full.

The editors also discuss prescribing information sources (http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/11/129.full) and the evidence on the management of difficult to treat severe asthma (http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/11/126.full).

Why should we worry about the new European Medicines Agency (EMA) pilot project to accelerate the approval of new drugs? James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss the October issue Editorial, that looks at the pros and cons of this new trend both in the USA and Europe.

Read the full article here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/10/109.full.

Also in this podcast:

• the use of the new antibiotic Fosfomycin trometamol for the treatment of acute uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) –http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/10/114.abstract;

• as well as the "health condition" of point-of-care tests for respiratory tract infections (RTI) in improving diagnosis capabilities in GP surgeries - http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/10/117.full.

In this month’s podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss the use of nalmefene in the management of alcohol dependence. Although the drug has been approved for use in the NHS, DTB's editorial highlights limitations of the evidence supporting its use and discusses concerns raised by three groups of researchers. Currently, the NHS in England spends £20,000 per month on the drug in primary care.

Read the full editorial here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/9/97.full.

There’s also a review of the management of hidradenitis suppurativa. Article accessible here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/9/102.full.

The DTB editors also talk about the benefits and limitations of observational studies. Article accessible here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/9/105.full.

In this month’s podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss the presentation of guidelines and ways of making them more accessible. Read the full editorial here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/8/85.full

There’s also an evaluation of the use of capsaicin for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Article accessible here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/8/90.full

The DTB editors also talk about medicines, excipients and dietary intolerances. Article accessible here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/54/8/93.full

In this podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss proposals to stop the prescription of some medicines and foods in order to help manage the deficit in NHS budgets. Full article available here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/early/2016/07/07/dtb.2016.7.0409.full.

The podcast also includes a review of an article about the effects of the antidiabetic drug empagliflozin on cardiovascular outcomes, as well as a review of an article on the use of vitamin supplementation during pregnancy. Read this article here: http://dtb.bmj.com/content/early/2016/07/11/dtb.2016.7.0414.full.

In this podcast, James Cave (DTB Editor-in-Chief) and David Phizackerley (DTB Deputy Editor) discuss the use of herbal products. They also develop the highlights of the articles: Articles: "Frailty, polypharmacy and deprescribing" and "Sacubitril valsartan for heart failure"

Read all the articles featured here: dtb.bmj.com/content/54/6.toc