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Cathy Cooke

@cathycooke.bsky.social
540 followers 275 following 1.6K posts

Interested in almost everything. Learn from the past, or repeatedly make the same mistakes | Retired pharmacist, FRCPharm HonFFFLM

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Reposted by Cathy Cooke
Deb Chalmers @viridescentfrog.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I can’t help posting this …
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Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Oh blimey, here we go again. Time to vote in the National Trust AGM to keep so-called 'Restore Trust' off the council. Use the quick vote to ensure we don't split the anti-Restore vote. Or.... 1/2 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
nationaltrust.org.uk
Annual General Meeting
Your Annual General Meeting will take place online and in person on Saturday 7th November 2026 at the STEAM Museum, Swindon.
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Royal College of Pharmacy @rc-pharm.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
We have today launched our Enhanced Pharmacist Curriculum and Credentialing Pathway, a new nationally recognised professional standard that supports pharmacists to develop their confidence and professional judgement after registration as prescribers. Find out more: bit.ly/46FNbCI
Chiba Film / RCPharm
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Woohoo! Humanity is not yet dead
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Saddened to see a couple of prevention of future deaths reports that feature a) inappropriate long term use of benzos and b) prisoner not enabled to timely access hospital discharge meds. Neither poor handover nor poor follow up should still be a thing in these electronically supported days.
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Reposted by Cathy Cooke
PharmacistDaz (He/Him) @pharmacistdaz.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Ulez linked with better lung growth in children, research finds theconversation.com/ulez-linked-...
theconversation.com
Ulez linked with better lung growth in children, research finds
Even modest differences in lung function and growth across childhood can matter for long-term health.
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Reposted by Cathy Cooke
Kit Byatt @kitb.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Another brilliantly clear and complete summary of an important new development in medical treatment (this time melanoma). This presages a paradigm shift in cancer treatment.
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Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Timeless humour! A 2,000 year-old Roman souvenir pen with a joke inscription roughly equivalent to: “I went to Rome and all I got you was this cheap pen!" 😂 Dated circa 70 AD, this iron stylus pen was recovered in London during excavations by MOLA. 📷 Juan Jose Fuldain/MOLA #Archaeology
The photo by Juan Jose Fuldain for MOLA shows four images of the same Roman iron stylus (pen) one below the other, with knib to the left. The stylus is octagonal in shape, with a dot-punched inscription along its length on four alternate sides. The stylus is 132 mm long and 5 mm thick, and the letters are circa 2 mm high. The four images of the pen show the four lines of inscribed text (highlighted) which read:

'ab urbe v[e]n[i] munus tibi gratum adf (e)ro acul[eat]um ut habe[a]s memor[ia]m nostra(m)
rogo si fortuna darlelt quo possem
largius ut longa via ceu sacculus est (v)acuus'

Translated as

I have come from the City. I bring you a welcome gift with a sharp point that you may remember me.
I ask, if fortune allowed, that I might be able (to give) as generously as the way is long (and) as my purse is empty.'


This inscription is generally interpreted by scholars as a humorous, tongue-in-cheek acknowledgment by the giver of the cheapness of the gift.
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Great interview, very informative
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Reposted by Cathy Cooke
PharmacistDaz (He/Him) @pharmacistdaz.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
For those who really object to being alerted by the emeregecy alerts (or for safeguarding reasons) you can switch them off. Opting out of emergency alerts - GOV.UK
gov.uk
Opting out of emergency alerts
Opting out of emergency alerts
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Reposted by Cathy Cooke
Rhea Liang @liangrhea.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Social media bans are NOT evidence-based. '[Twenge et al.] found a link between social media use and depressive symptoms, but the relationship accounted for <1% of the variation... >99% in young people’s mental health were explained by other factors.' www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026...
auckland.ac.nz
Banning social media is a distraction from the real crisis – University of Auckland
Commentary: As governments copy Australia’s under-16 social media ban, Terryann Clark and Sarah Hetrick argue that targeting screen time ignores wider economic drivers of youth distress.
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Laura Angus #PharmSky 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @lauraangus.pharmsky.app · 06/08/2026
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) (referred to as ‘medicines optimisation software’ by @bma.org.uk) - ‘digital interventions currently being used in clinics ‘improved medication safety by 46% when compared to usual care, reducing high-risk prescribing and dosing errors’
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
www.gov.uk/drug-safety-...
gov.uk
Botulinum toxin type A products: updated warnings regarding risk of iatrogenic botulism
Cases of iatrogenic botulism have been reported following the therapeutic or cosmetic use of botulinum toxin containing products where the toxin’s effect extends beyond the area of treatment. Patients...
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Karen Harrowing @klh2.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
With increasing numbers of online medicine consultations- please ensure everyone that friends & family know to check register www.pharmacyregulation.org/registers/ph...
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
I crocheted a cover for my tiny bolster cushion with a sunflower on each end. But when I look at it I'm getting flashbacks...
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
First Pimm's of the season. Cheers
Hand holding a cactus-shaped glass of Pimm's set against a garden shaded from the relentless sun
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The Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine @fflm.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
The Blue Guidelines remain an essential resource for forensic clinicians, supporting the assessment and management of alcohol and substance use disorders in police custody: tinyurl.com/yu4nc7a9 The current edition is under review, with an updated version due later this year
tinyurl.com
Detainees with substance use disorders in police custody: Guidelines for clinical management (5th edition) - FFLM
A working group report by: The Royal College of Psychiatrists and The Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, March 2020, also known as ‘The Blue Guidelines’.Those with substance use disorders who are in police custody are entitled to the same high quality and effective treatment, delivered by healthcare professionals with the appropriate competencies, as the rest of the population. Accurate assessment of associated morbidities, including the degree and severity of dependence, and of the need for medical intervention, is essential, because both intoxication and withdrawal can put detainees...
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Another risk is the incorrect picking of product when there are, for instance, several different strengths available for a particular drug
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Update on the PATHWAYS clinical trial
As with all clinical trials, the MHRA’s top priority is the safety and wellbeing of the trial participants.
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Warning on promoting newly licensed prescription-only medicines and unlicensed medicines for weight management
The MHRA, Advertising Standards Authority, and the General Pharmaceutical Council have issued a warning to businesses seeking to promote newly authorised medicines, as well as those that do not yet ha...
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Enjoyed listening to 'David Olusoga in Conversation' this evening, a Clevedon Litfest event at the lovely Curzon cinema
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
I 'quite liked' David Hockney's work (only seen through various media) until I saw his exhibition at the RA in 2012. Absolutely amazing seen firsthand
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In Otter News @in-otter-news.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Everything!
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Really??!!
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Dr Dean Burnett @drdeanburnett.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Stated that really don't like AI, and some tech bootlicker pointed out that I must have still used it because it's everywhere now, as if this was some sort of 'gotcha'. I mean, I don't like bird shit either. That it's ended up on my car so often doesn't undermine my stance, it reinforces it.
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Don’t let this heatwave affect your medicines: Three important tips from the MHRA
Essential advice on protecting your medicines during extreme heat and staying safe.
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Madhav @madhav.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
This is heartbreaking (from the India subreddit)
I want to explain what 48 degrees actually feels like when you live in a developing country, because it is terrifying.
You can't just "stay inside and run the AC."
The power grid simply cannot handle the load of millions of people trying to cool down, so we are dealing with rolling blackouts. Imagine sitting in the pitch dark in a concrete room that has been baking in the sun for 12 hours, with no ceiling fan, while the ambient temperature inside is still hovering near 40°C at midnight. You don't sleep; you just pass out from exhaustion.
The taps are running dry because the heat evaporates local reservoirs and water usage spikes. People who have to work outside-street vendors, construction workers, delivery drivers-are collapsing. Even the water coming out of the cold tap during the day is hot enough to literally brew tea.
It feels like we are living on the absolute razor's edge of what the human body can endure, and it's only May.
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Not too decrepit to make a killing on Dell shares, eh?
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Please don't let AI take over. My phone is offering me a photo collection of 'selfies with Cathy' 🙄
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Shaun Lintern @shaunlintern.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Celebrities, rich people and ex-prime ministers should not make health policy. Prostate cancer screening is just not as simple as some are making out. There are real harms caused when people are treated unnecessarily.
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Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Every summer I repost this article on how to spot drowning. Please read it and pass on. In the last few years I’ve had SIX messages from people who saved a kid’s life after clicking on the link from my feed. slate.com/technology/2...
slate.com
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect.
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
I didn't intend to buy any books while I was waiting...
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
I've just looked at 2017 for a little writing project. Ooh, not a good year, globally 🫩
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Rob Fleming @robjimfleming.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
We are a nation of immigrants. Most folks don't know their own family history more than a generation or so back. Many of the people on this rally are unknowingly protesting against their own grandparents or great grandparents. What a time to be alive.
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The Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine @fflm.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
It’s ok to acknowledge when the work feels heavy. In forensic and legal medicine, and across secure and detained settings, professionals are often exposed to complex and emotionally demanding situations. Recognising that emotional load is not a weakness #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
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Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
This wasn't the history I was looking for
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Trying out the roasted barley, rye and chicory drink in a suitably annotated mug
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The Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine @fflm.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Are you an Expert in forensic and legal medicine? 🩺 ⚖️ We are recruiting a Lead MFFLM Part 1 & DLM Examiner 💰 £5,000 upon completion for each paper cycle 🎓 Legal qualification & medico-legal experience required 🔗 Get Involved: fflm.ac.uk/about/get-involved #FFLM #ForensicMedicine #ExamLead
fflm.ac.uk
Get Involved - FFLM
There are many opportunities to contribute to the FFLM. If you are interested in serving as a Senior Officer or participating on one of the FFLM committees, representing the FFLM at external committees and working groups or reviewing e-learning modules, this is the page to find something to match your skills.
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WHO @who.int · 23/04/2026
It's #WorldImmunizationWeek Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives since 1974 — not by accident, but because ordinary people made the decision to protect themselves, their children and one another. That’s 6 lives every minute, every day, for more than 5 decades bit.ly/4mH2HWi
Illustration of diverse family generations celebrating vaccination with a large vaccine vial and immunization card, promoting World Immunization Week 2026.
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Helen Buckingham @hbuckingham.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
This makes me sad - not only lost public art but public art history - Antony Gormley's first civic commission. But councils of all colours are having to make hard choices. What makes me angry and sad is the secrecy - this is public money and I don't see a justification for hiding the sum received.
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
🙄
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Shaun Lintern @shaunlintern.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
RSV maternal vaccine cuts baby hospital admissions by up to 85% www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
RSV maternal vaccine cuts baby hospital admissions by up to 85%
Largest real-world study in England confirms premature infants protected by vaccination.
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Karen Harrowing @klh2.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen... Thanks @bathnewseum.bsky.social for your post. Also found this great little animation from @rspb.bsky.social
rspb.org.uk
Our latest guidance on what and when to feed garden birds: Feed Safely, Feed Seasonally
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Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Gorgeous glass gaming pieces from Iron Age Britain! 🤩 This unique set of 24 coloured glass domes with flattened base and spiral decoration may have been used for a game similar to ludo some 2,000 years ago. British Museum 📷 by me #Archaeology
My photo shows a set of Late Iron Age glass gaming pieces displayed on a sandy surface in a display case at the British Museum. The set is made up of 24 coloured glass domes; six each of white, yellow, blue, and translucent green glass. One of the yellow pieces is out of shot in my photo. Each game piece is decorated with five inset spiral motifs in a contrasting colour. Nearly all pieces are uniform in shape; domed with a slightly pointed apex and a flattened base. Dimensions approximately 2.57 cm diameter and 2.2 cm height.

The gaming pieces were recovered from a richly-furnished Late Iron Age cremation burial in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, when it was disturbed during the construction of two gas-pipe trenches during the building of the Panshangar Estate in 1965.
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The Pharmaceutical Journal @pharmaj.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
The launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy was celebrated on 15 April 2026 — 185 years after the founding of its predecessor, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society #ukpharmacy
buff.ly
Royal College of Pharmacy marked with launch event to thank outgoing leaders
The launch of the Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm) was celebrated on 15 April 2026 — 185 years after the founding of its predecessor, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). At the event, held at…
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
What today’s information superhighway shows me is how much incompetence there is across all sectors. I’m sure there always has been, we just didn’t know about it in the limited snail-pace days
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Well done, Hungary. Made it count
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Cathy Cooke @cathycooke.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
MHRA action boosts drive to phase out animal testing
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) takes decisive action to phase out animal testing by helping developers to make greater use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).
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