Legal News

In a wrongful death lawsuit alleging a pharmacy dispensed excessive narcotic refills, a Florida judge ruled that a pharmacist must exercise the care and prudence which a reasonably careful and prudent pharmacist exercises.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy urged HHS Secretary Thompson and FDA Commissioner McClellan to enforce laws against the importation of non-FDA approved Rx drugs through foreign Internet and mail order pharmacies.

A Tacoma brain cancer patient sued a pharmacistwho questioned her Percocet prescription and phoned the police, which lead to her arrest on a felony Rx fraud charege.

In an apparent first, Massachusetts has added a physician and a nurse as members of the state pharmacy board.

Debate between brand and generic drug companies contues to rage over whether the Waxman-Hatch Act should be overhauled.

ASCP reviews its upcoming legislative plate.

In order for things to evolve, they must change, and hopefully for the better. This is certainly true of pharmacy. Although there have been many changes in the way pharmacists are reimbursed for their services, marking their increased acceptance as healthcare providers, many more changes need to happen.

IG focuses on fraud in partial refills and billing for experimental drugs

Pharmacies have just six months to get ready to implement HIPAA, the massive federal patient privacy protection regulations.

OIG advisory bulletin on gifts to Medicaid/Medicare beneficiaries

A U.S. Senator wants random testing of compounded drugs but state pharmacy boards think such oversight is not workable.

The Canadian border poses several issues state pharmacy boards will have to address, including R.Ph. licensure, Internet pharmacies, and cross border medication purchases.

The Pharmacy Freedom Fund is raising money to fund a national class action lawsuit against pharmacy benefit managers on behalf of community pharmacy.

An involuntary manslaughter charge against a hospital R.Ph. involved in a fatal Rx error was reduced to negligent treatment of a patient, a low grade misdemeanor. The criminal indictment on manslaughter charges had raised alarm in pharmacy circles.

The Illinois and Massachusetts supreme Courts ruled that pharmacists have a duty to warn patients of potential problems with prescription drugs.

The Bush administration proposed to ease the privacy regulations in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, making it easier for pharmacists to dispense Rxs.

A lawsuit was filed alleging that a Connecticut woman died after a CVS pharmacist dispensed opium tincture instead of camphorated opium tincture (paregoric).

Three bills in Congress address freedom of choice, provider status, and pharmacist shortage

Florida sues Eckerd for overcharging patients

What's happening in the largest states, such as New York, Calif., Florida, Texas, in terms of state legislation this year

More states now permit the transfer of electronic Rxs between physicians and pharmacies and two more states now permit collaborative practice agreements between physicians and pharmacists, according to NABP's annual survey of pharmacy law.

Health insurers, MCOs, and PBMs claim to be ready for privacy regulations but there is still uncertainty about HIPAA, according to a new survey.

Proposal to require FDA phone number on Rx labels opposed

New restrictions on Accutane

David Brushwood advocates a stepwise approach to help pharmacists evaluate suspicious prescriptons.

Old priorities put aside as Congress confronts new realities

Charges that a Missouri R.Ph. diluted chemotherapy drugs triggered a call for more oversight of the preparation of such drugs.

Bush Rx discount card running into more attacks from pharmacy

Bush Rx discount card running into more attacks from pharmacy

Pfizer offers Florida Medicaid a deal backed by cash