Two men prosecuted after importing fake Durex condoms

Have you ever purchased condoms from a company called ‘Trade Express UK Ltd’? If you have, we’d suggest disposing of them immediately and buying condoms from Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy instead – all condoms we offer to patients are actually genuine!

In fact you can pick up a pack of 72 individually wrapped genuine Durex Performa condoms right now from Medical Specialists™, a highly reputable and trusted source, for the low price of just £60. You should only ever obtain medication(s) and products from a fully-registered pharmacy that puts its patients’ needs at the core of its operations.

Our advice follows the prosecution of two men who served as directors of the company after they were found guilty of selling counterfeit condoms to their unsuspecting customers.

The males, aged 46 and 49, were shown little mercy by the court and hit with suspended jail sentences, financial penalties, and other punishments.

For selling the fake condoms, the men have each received eight-month prison sentences -  suspended for two years, are now forced to undertake a whopping 200 hours of unpaid work and are forbidden from being a company director for seven years.

In a demonstration of how serious the trade of counterfeit goods and medicine is taken, the court also decided to implement a confiscation order against the pair, totalling approximately £15,000 ($25,000), and both will have to shell out for costs of around £10,600.

The punishments came about after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) investigated the two men – directors of the company Trade Express UK Ltd – and discovered the middle-aged men were importing fake Durex condoms into Britain.

Then the UK Border Agency swooped onto Felixstowe port in May 2012 and intercepted a shipment of 25,200 packs of counterfeit Durex condoms that were being brought into the country from China, with the men pleading guilty in January of this year.
 
John Wilkinson, the MHRA’s Director of Medical Devices, said: “People should be aware that if they buy condoms from illicit websites there is no guarantee that the product that arrives will be safe to use or of good quality. Counterfeit condoms look real but they are badly made and anyone using one has a higher risk of catching a sexually transmitted disease or having an unwanted pregnancy.”

Allergy Awareness Week begins as hayfever sufferers set to face brutal summer

As we are into the second day of Allergy Awareness Week – proudly supported by Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy – New research has shown that hayfever rates have soared to record levels and could get much worse in the future.

Britain is set to experience one of the most severe summers in recent years according to weather analysts, and charity Allergy UK who are running the awareness week that runs to 4 May, say that nearly a third of the population are now suffering with hayfever.

Hayfever symptoms are caused by an inhalation of pollen particles and by pollen getting into the eyes. Symptoms can flare-up from anywhere between early spring to late summer, depending on which particular pollen(s) you have an allergy to. The common pollens that prove problematic in early spring for hay fever suffers are those that emanate from trees such as the ash, oak, silver birch, and London plane.

Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy offer a wide range of medicines  to treat allergies such as hayfever, including Loratadine – a non-drowsy antihistamine which can provide relief from the symptoms of hay fever and Nasonex nasal spray – a nasal corticosteroid spray for the relief of congestion, sneezing, itching and a runny nose. Prevalin is another nasal spray that lines the inside of your nose and actually deactivates the pollen, and Alomide allergy eye drops that can bring relief from red, itchy, watery and puffy eyes if used regularly.

If all that isn’t enough, Medical Specialists™ now offer the fantastic NeilMed Sinus Rinse Starter Kit, which is suitable for all ages. This natural soothing saline wash can be used to alleviate many problems such as:

Nasal allergies & dryness.
Sinusitis, rhinitis.
Allergic asthma.
Post nasal drip.
Sinus pressure & nasal stuffiness.
Nasal symptoms from flu & cold.
Nasal irritation from occupational dust, fumes, animal dander, grass, pollen, smoke & house dust.
Nasal congestion.

Professor Jean Emberlin, scientific director for Allergy UK, commented: “We now have one of the highest rates [of hayfever] worldwide.” She says high use of antibiotics in children could be behind a higher risk of allergies in general, with as many as 38% of children now afflicted by hayfever in some areas of the UK.

Therefore, this week’s Allergy Awareness Week has arrived at a perfect time and aims to put a spotlight onto the difficulties faced by those who have allergies, what they can do to manage their symptoms, treatment options, with Allergy UK urging as many people as possible to participate and give their support. In the following weeks there will also be several fundraising events taking place.
The charity is now encouraging people to assess their medication prior to the grass pollen season beginning at the start of summer.

Prof Ember in said: “Early ­indications are that it could be severe. This year the mild winter and warm spring resulted in the birch pollen season starting about four weeks ­earlier than in 2013.
“Birch ­pollen counts increased ­rapidly in the last week of March throughout the South and Midlands and the season spread northwards quickly.

“About 25 per cent of ­sufferers are allergic to birch pollen and this year has been a severe one for them.

“The oak pollen ­season – which affects one in five sufferers – also started earlier this year.

“The grass pollen season – which affects about 95 per cent of hayfever sufferers – will start in the last week of May in the South with a fairly long lag time of a few weeks to the North.

“Due to the warm spring, the start will be gradual rather than having a sudden increase in grass pollen counts.

Maureen Jenkins, director of ­clinical services at Allergy UK, added: “We are urging people to check whether they are using their medication correctly rather than just soldiering on and ­prolonging their suffering. If symptoms aren’t improving with treatment, it’s so important to get medical advice to control this debilitating condition, which is also associated with the development of asthma.”

Medical Specialists™ now offer exciting ‘second generation’ impotence treatment Spedra

Since the release of Pfizer’s Viagra way back in 1998, men across the globe suffering from the common condition known as erectile dysfunction (ED) have been spoilt for choice with regards to treatment options.

Sildenafil citrate – marketed as Viagra – was subsequently joined by Levitra (vardenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil), followed by variations such as the Cialis Daily tablets and Levitra ODT (Orodispersible). And now the ED market finally welcomes an exciting new addition to its vast array of treatments, in the form of Spedra (avanafil).

Spedra is available today from Medical Specialiasts™ Pharmacy, priced from as little as £23.17 for 4 x 50mg tablets. No prescription? No worry…Our in-house Doctors will write a prescription for you, which is then dispensed by our in-house Pharmacists, and sent to you within 24 hours.

Menarini, a private company headquartered in Florence, are manufacturers of Spedra and are touting the new treatment as the very first ‘second-generation’ medication for ED. This is due to the fact patients within the clinical trials did not report back to have experienced some of the side effects associated with the other PDE-5 inhibitors, i.e. blurred vision or slight hearing loss.

Spedra has been shown to have an impressive success rate of 77% and is rapidly becoming well known for being the quickest acting male impotence treatment there is. Those being prescribed it for the first time may find they start on 100mg, but there are also 50mg and 200mg doses of the drug. The maximum recommended dosing frequency is once per day. Like the other ED treatments, Spedra’s full effect is felt with prior sexual stimulation (foreplay) – just like you would engage in any way if you were not taking a medication for ED.

Taken orally, Spedra belongs in the same family of medicines as Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. Just like the existing ED drugs, Spedra belongs to a class of medicines known as PDE-5 (Phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitors and is suitable for men who have trouble getting or sustaining an erection for sexual intercourse.

Whereas the existing treatments can take anywhere between 25 minutes to an hour to take effect, clinical trials have demonstrated the impressive prowess of Spedra, which kicks-in with firm erections after just 15 minutes, according to many of the men participating in trials. The new treatment will shave vital minutes off compared to its counterparts, ideal for more ‘spur of the moment’ love making.

Spedra has been shown to remain effective for between four and five hours, a time duration similar to that of Viagra. It should be noted that this does not mean you will have an erection for between four and five hours, but that you will have ability to achieve improved erections that duration. Like other ED treatments, Spedra may take longer to become effective if taken following a large meal.

How often couples have sex, and is it all over too quickly? Find out here…

The question of how frequently couples have sex on a weekly basis is one long debated, but something nobody will ever be sure of the answer to as one couple’s sex life differs to the next.

However, a sexual health expert from the US believes that the average couple tend to have sex around two to three times per week.

Dr Harry Fisch, a urologist based at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, also claims that men are generally not lasting long enough in the sack to fully satisfy their partner as men tend to orgasm a lot quicker than women do.

According to Dr Fisch, around 45% of men usually orgasm within just two minutes of beginning penetrative sex, a time that is too soon for the average woman to reach an orgasm.

In a report published on Nerve.com, he says that the majority of women actually require a time of between five to seven minutes to reach orgasm – resulting in a lot of unsatisfied women in the bedroom.

Dr Fisch goes on to say the average man has 11 erections each day and there are some young men who see having sex multiple days a day as being normal, although he adds in reality, this is not a common occurrence.

In reality, most couples are having sex in their 20s about every one to three days he believes, with this dropping to twice a week for 30 to 50-year-olds.

Some couples are content with having frequent sex, with other couples prioritising quality over quantity. He wrote in Nerve.com: “That’s really the point: not how much sex you’re having, but whether you and your partner are happy with the sex you are having. Quality wins out over quantity every time. It’s all about the satisfaction.”

The average couple has sex for 7.3 minutes at a time says Dr Fisch, but he adds this isn’t always satisfactory for the woman as women usually take longer to orgasm.

He concluded his report by urging those men who regularly ejaculate in less than two minutes, or take more than 40, to see their doctor.

For those who are concerned they are suffering from premature ejaculation (PE), your doctor can provide a diagnosis and speak to you about available treatments. Before this however, the website Firing Too Quickly offers a Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT); the results of which can be used when first discussing the problem with your doctor.

The Firing Too Quickly website is a fantastic guide for any man who believes he has premature ejaculation problems and offers information on a wide range of issues such as the psychical and psychological causes of PE, the difference between lifelong PE (primary) and acquired PE (secondary), in addition to some of the common myths and truths about PE.

For instance, a misconception some people hold is that PE is not a genuine medical condition. As Firing Too Quickly correctly point out, this is a myth and is even acknowledged by the World Health Organization as being a genuine health problem. PE can leave the male suffering from anxiety, stress, depression, embarrassment and anger.

Ultimately, both partners will suffer. The man may find it difficult to relax enough to enjoy sex resulting in a lack of intimacy and frustration for both the man and woman. If left untreated, PE can place serious strain on the relationship.

Treatment options can be obtained today from Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy and include over the counter products such as Stud 100 spray and/or the prescription-only medication Priligy – the latter works to prolong a man’s sexual performance by an average of 200% to 300%.

Kate Middleton pokes fun at Prince William’s hair loss, suggesting a toupee

Canadian pop superstar Justin Bieber once suggested the young royal should probably be taking hair loss medication Propecia, and now Prince William has been on the receiving end of more stick; this time from his wife!

The Duchess of Cambridge teased her husband, The Duke of Cambridge, about his thinning barnet during a trip to the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The royal couple were greeted there by the majority of an estimated crowd of 150,000 people on what was a gloriously sunny day in Sydney.

Touted as an event that “brings the country to the city”, the two-week Sydney Royal Easter Show brings in an incredible 900,000 visitors each year, being a staple in the calendar of farmers, animal lovers, keen gardeners and the general public since its inception back in 1823.

The 31-year-old Prince has mercilessly mocked his 32-year-old wife about her choice of clothes during the visit, choosing to inform Kate she resembled a banana in a yellow dress she was wearing and commented a dazzling green outfit she was sporting looked too bright.

However, Kate soon managed to get her own back as the pair visited the impressive displays of produce, segregated by Australian regions. One exhibitor, Lyn Crejan, 67, was discussing the vast array of fruit and vegetables that were displayed in a colourful design behind her.

The 67-year-old showed the royal couple a tuft of alpaca wool that happened to be a comparable shade of brown to that of William’s hair, Kate duly pounced. The Duchess, wearing a stunning white Zimmermann dress, joked that William should try using the alpaca wool as a wig.

Ms Crejan, who works as a farmer in the settlement of Glenn Innes in New South Wales, said: “The Prince was interested in the alpaca and as I showed it to them the Princess said he should put it on his head.

“She said, ‘you need it more than me’, and pointed to his head and he laughed.”

It recent times at public events, it has been Prince Harry who has subjected Prince William to jibes about his hair loss, although the younger Prince has quietened his stance lately -  possibly after showing signs of hair loss himself.

Harry was photographed in February 2013 whilst on a trip to Lesotho in southern Africa on behalf of his charity, Sentebale, with noticeably thinner hair and his scalp quite visible through his famous ginger locks.

Hair loss is something that has been suffered by many male members of the Royal family, with William and Harry’s father, Prince Charles, also suffering hair loss for many years. In addition, the young royal’s grandfather, Prince Phillip and their uncle, Prince Edward, have lost much of their hair over the years.

Premature ejaculation can be improved with pelvic floor exercises

Pelvic floor exercises are normally suggested to women who are pregnant, or planning to get pregnant.  Such exercises can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and lessen the risk of the woman experiencing urinary incontinence and reduced sensitivity during sex following the birth of their child. Strong pelvic floor muscles will result in increased sensitivity during sex and stronger orgasms as well.

However, new research has suggested that pelvic floor exercises can also help men – in particular those who are suffering from premature ejaculation problems.

Study data from Sapienza University of Rome was presented at the European Congress of Urology in Stockholm earlier this week, demonstrating how pelvic floor exercises can be effective in delaying ejaculation for men. This showed for the very first time that these exercises are beneficial for men who have suffered with premature ejaculation on a long-term basis.

The research, led by Dr. Antonio Pastore, looked at 40 men aged between 19 and 46. The men all suffered with premature ejaculation but not not seen results from other types of therapy. For a period of 12 weeks, the men were trained to exercise their pelvic floor muscles and also asked to track their time-to-orgasm over this period.

The men’s average ejaculation time at the beginning of the study was measured at just 31.7 seconds, but at the end of the 12 week study period, this average ejaculation time jumped up to 146.2 seconds (two and a half minutes). This equates to an increase in excess of 400%.

In total, an impressive number of men benefited from the pelvic floor exercises, with 33 of the 40 men experiencing improvements to ejaculation time during the course of the study and only five did not see any significant improvement. Two men quit the study earlier than the rest, but had seen improvement prior to dropping out. Thirteen of those 33 carried on with the trial for a further six months and their improved ejaculation times were maintained.

One person’s perception of what constitutes premature ejaculation may differ to somebody else’s and some men may mistakenly assume they have the condition, but the International Society of Sexual Medicine defines premature ejaculation as “ejaculation within a minute.”

Some men’s premature ejaculation problems can be so severe that sex can prove near impossible, especially if he ejaculates before penetration. This can be hugely damaging for a man’s self-confidence, and frustrating for both partners especially if they are trying for a baby.

Health experts generally, and rightfully, see premature ejaculation as a genuine medical condition requiring treatment, which can be done through over the counter products such as Stud 100 spray and/or the prescription-only medication Priligy. The latter works to prolong a man’s sexual performance by an average of 200% to 300%.

Are you getting involved in Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this April?

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy are proud to support a disease that is increasingly affecting people of all ages, despite being commonly looked upon as an ‘old person’s disease’ as previous figures show around 72% of people diagnosed with bowel cancer are over the age of 65.

The aim of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month is clued in its name – to raise awareness about this type of cancer and draw attention to it, help people understand the symptoms of the disease and why it is vital to receive treatment at the earliest possible chance. Each year over 40,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK, claiming almost 16,000 lives.

Bowel cancer is also known as colorectal or colon cancer, and is the third most prevalent type of cancer in the UK alone. Almost all cases of bowel cancer begin to develop within the large bowel – two-thirds in the colon and one-third in the rectum.

Symptoms include: Blood in your faeces, the appearance of mucus in the faeces, inexplicable weight loss, persistent abdominal pain lasting longer than two weeks, severe constipation or diarrhoea lasting longer than two weeks and tiredness as a result of becoming anaemic from microscopic bleeding from the bowel.

You could experience either one, some, or all of the above symptoms, but some people could experience none at all. Most symptoms will probably not be bowel cancer but if you are worried any of your symptoms are related to the disease, make an appointment to see your doctor immediately.

Don’t be worried about wasting someone’s time, it is better to get assessed and be at peace of mind than spending time wondering why you are getting the symptoms you are. Even if it should be bowel cancer, the earlier it is spotted through screening, the greater the chances of treatment being able to cure the cancer completely.

Screening for the cancer is conducted by the analysis of a patient’s stool sample for the presence of blood – a faecal occult blood test is used for this.

Over the next three years, patients over the age of 55 will also be able to benefit from an additional screening test that consists of a camera examination of the lower bowel called a flexible sigmoidoscopy.

The fact that statistics show 90% of people who receive treatment for bowel cancer early enough are able to recover shows that a visit to your doctor may just save your life.

The charity Bowel Cancer UK have a detailed list of ways you can get involved with Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and useful information about living with bowel cancer, including dietary advice such as as what to eat and drink during treatment, and much more.