Drug Topics Voices 08-10-2015
Letters, e-mails, posts, and comments from Drug Topics readers
Heading into mosquito territory? Here’s what you need
Some OTC products designed to keep those summer adventures fun
New Products for Pharmacists 08-10-2015
New Rx, generics, and OTC
McKesson conference explores the future of independent pharmacies
Community pharms discuss competitive options at McKesson's ideaShare.
CVS, hospitals undertake naloxone pharmacy study
Researchers plan to study the best way to deploy pharmacy-based naloxone rescue kits to help prevent opioid overdoses and deaths.
California pharmacist sentenced for Medicare fraud
The owner of a Los Angeles pharmacy was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges he participated in a fraud scheme involving the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.
CVS/Caremark dropping Viagra from its coverage list
Beginning next year, CVS/Caremark will no longer provide insurance coverage for the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra.
Pharmacy mistakes, Part 3: State BOPs and public safety
When people are injured by pharmacy mistakes, it is a public safety issue. Where are the state boards of pharmacy?
CVS reports strong second quarter with specialty pharmacy growth
CVS Health reported a strong second quarter in 2015 with overall net revenue up 7.4% to $37.2 million, compared to the same period last year.
CVS harnessing IBM’s Watson to improve patient care
CVS Health is partnering with IBM to document and analyze patient behaviors so that pharmacists and other healthcare professionals can better manage chronic illnesses.
Pharmacists help patients lower blood pressure
Pharmacists working in healthcare teams were able to better control blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled hypertension, according to a recent study.
Two cases of rare brain infection seen with MS drug
Two patients taking the multiple sclerosis drug fingolimod (Gilenya) developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare and serious brain infection, FDA reported.
Idarucizumab for dabigatran reversal
Results from the REVERSE-AD prospective cohort study.
Prescribing, dispensing errors seen with Brintellix, Brilinta
FDA issued a drug safety warning that there have been 50 reports of medication errors because of confusion between the antidepressant Brintellix (vortioxetine) and the antiplatelet agent Brilinta (ticagrelor).
Why so many pharmacy robberies in Indiana?
Many people are pondering that question following the recent release of statistics from the Drug Enforcement Administration that showed Indiana led the nation in pharmacy robberies.
National drug take-back scheduled for Sept. 26
The Drug Enforcement Administration recently announced plans to hold its 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back on September 26, 2015.
Pharmacogenomics could boost community pharmacy sales
Pharmacogenomics has the potential to save the U.S. healthcare industry $136 billion in adverse drug events and serve as a profit center for community pharmacies.
Does CVS overcharge some customers for generics?
That’s the allegation made in a potential class action lawsuit that claims CVS deliberately overcharged some customers for generic drugs by submitting claims to their insurance companies at inflated prices.
Court ruling clears way for first U.S. biosimilar launch
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington has ruled that Novartis AG’s Sandoz may begin selling the first copy of Amgen Inc.’s Neupogen as soon as Sept. 2.
The new pharmacy: Revenue streams, Part I
If you're a pharmacist looking for another route to success, satisfaction, and reward, start here.
Newly approved PCSK9 inhibitor comes with hefty price
While the FDA’s approval of alirocumab (Praluent injection) for high cholesterol is an important new treatment for patients with cardiovascular disease, health plan executives and others are worried about the drug’s price tag.
CVS settles three pharmacist-overtime lawsuits
CVS has agreed to pay $7.4 million to more than 1,600 pharmacists throughout California who claimed the retail giant forced employees to work seven days in a row without paying overtime.
Walgreens expands free HIV testing in Virginia
In partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, Walgreens has increased its number of locations to 32 where free HIV testing is offered.
Ohio university to build retail specialty pharmacy
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, is building a $962,000 retail specialty pharmacy, according to Columbus Business First.
Court: Pharmacies can’t use religious objections to deny medicines
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that Washington can require pharmacies to deliver medications such as Plan B even if owners have a religious objection.
Walgreens-owned pharmacy settles second fraudulent billing case
New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman recently announced that a Walgreens-owned pharmacy must repay $22.4 million to the state’s Medicaid program for filing false billings.
Diabetes drug may reduce Parkinson’s incidence
Diabetes patients taking rosiglitazone or pioglitazone had a 28 percent lower incidence of Parkinson's disease (PD) than people taking other treatments for diabetes who had never taken the glitazone (GTZ) drugs, according to a new study.
Who is to blame for pharmacy mistakes?
When multiple factors are involved, the issues may not be as clear-cut as you think.
Pharmacy to pay $8 million to settle fraudulent billing allegations
A Florida compounding pharmacy has agreed to pay $8 million to settle allegations it billed the federal government for improper and medically unnecessary prescriptions.
Finding the right dosing for obese pediatric patients
Determining the correct medication dosing for obese pediatric patients is extremely challenging and data on the subject is limited.