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In 2013, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and others wrote nearly a third of the painkiller prescriptions issued, according to an investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Medpage Today.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries launched loxapine inhalation powder, 10 mg (Adasuve) March 3, for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar 1 disorder in adults.

Pharmacy groups, representing more than 100,000 pharmacists in different pharmacy practice settings, have written to CMS Administrator Marilyn B. Tavenner to express their support for the expansion of medication therapy management (MTM) services to Medicare Part D beneficiaries in the CMS proposal released in early January.

The study concludes that AHA and other organizations should add depression to the official list of risk factors for acute coronary syndrome.

Claiming pharmacy benefit managers are trying to run them out of business, more than 100 Oklahoma independent pharmacists recently rallied at their state capitol.

Warfarin use may be safe following a heart attack in patients with both atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease, according to a Swedish study of more than 24,000 patients.

Leaders in ambulatory care pharmacy practice, medicine, and nursing met to draft recommendations to advance patient care in ambulatory settings.

Poor prescriber choices are setting patients up for for allergic reactions, super-resistant infections, and deadly diarrhea caused by C. difficile.

Long-term care pharmacists continued to push for support for provisions on short-cycle dispensing as the deadline for comments on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service’s (CMS) proposed rule on Medicare Part D changes drew to a close on March 7.

Teen can buy generic morning-after contraceptive directly from OTC shelves without proving age.

Patients more than 80 years old are being “over-treated” for stroke prevention with statins and antihypertensive drugs, and doctors need to actively rethink their priorities and beliefs about stroke prevention, according to a new study published in Evidence Based Medicine.

FDA advisors decided against recommending over-the-counter (OTC) marketing approval of Primatene HFA inhaler (Armstrong Pharmaceuticals) for the temporary relief of mild symptoms of intermittent asthma in patients 12 years and older, at last week’s joint meeting of the FDA’s Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee.

Study finds similar levels of contamination by microorganisms on stethoscopes and physicians' dominant hands.

Check out the new and improved iPad app for Drug Topics! This app features tons of interactive content and a better way to view our magazine. All issues are completely free!

The DEA proposal to move hydrocodone combination products from Schedule III to Schedule II could have a major impact on pharmacies.

FDA has approved hyaluronic acid (HA) injection (Monovisc, Anika Therapeutics), a single-injection supplement to synovial fluid of the osteoarthritic joint, for the treatment of pain and the improvement of joint mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has endorsed a congressional proposal to establish a workgroup to collaborate on solutions to reduce prescription drug abuse and without comprising access to medications.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has created a prescription drug abuse tip line in Georgia that will allow healthcare professionals and the public to anonymously report Rx abuse.

Health Mart launched its 2014 Healthy Living Tour during the Independent Pharmacy Business Growth Conference in Orlando, Fla. Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals will visit more than 130 communities across the United States providing health education and free health screenings.

A coalition of doctors, addiction experts, and law enforcement officials are urging FDA to revoke approval of the powerful opioid Zohydro ER (hydrocodone bitartrate) extended-release capsules, which reportedly will contain 10 times more hydrocodone than Vicodin.

Blood pressure medications used by many older adults can increase the risk of serious fall injuries by 30% to 40%.

18 research centers are working to establish guidelines for safe step-down procedures for patients with well-controlled asthma.

The popular dating site eHarmony recently issued a list of 15 reasons why dating a pharmacist is a good idea, which justifications ranging from the practical to the slightly comical.

FDA approved metreleptin for injection (Myalept, Amylin Pharmaceuticals) as replacement therapy to treat the complications of leptin deficiency, in addition to diet, in patients with congenital generalized or acquired generalized lipodystrophy.

Azithromycin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for common infections since the early 1990s, is becoming less effective because of growing antimicrobial resistance.

Patients with severe injuries initially evaluated at non-trauma center emergency departments are less likely to be transferred to a trauma center if they have insurance, according to study published online ahead of print in JAMA Surgery.

Forest Laboratories plans to discontinue the sale of memantine HCl (Namenda) 5-mg and 10-mg tablets effective August 15, 2014. Forest has notified FDA of this decision.

More than 30% of Medicare Part D beneficiaries who receive opioid prescriptions are prescribed them from multiple providers, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. This practice, which goes against recommended guidelines of a single provider prescribing opioids for a patient, was found to be associated with higher rates of opioid-related hospitalization.

Canadian researchers have identified 10 clinical characteristics and developed a preliminary risk scale to help standardize admission practices for COPD patients.

Dallas Moore, regional director of pharmacy services, Intermountain Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, discusses how his employer uses Aesynt software to manage inventory.