7 steps for managing costs of specialty drugs
October 10th 2013Patients, employers, and health plans are continuing to be burdened by the rising costs and use of specialty drugs. However, employers and health plans can control specialty drug costs more easily with the help of Prime Therapeutics’ new report.
Flu vaccinations cut risk of pneumonia hospitalizations by almost 60%, study finds
October 10th 2013Study results were based on laboratory-confirmed hospital cases of pneumonia with and without influenza, in 2,320 children and adults. Many previous studies lacked either laboratory confirmation or vaccine status.
Community pharmacy well positioned for ACA opportunities
October 9th 2013Community pharmacists are well positioned to take advantage of new models of patient care delivery under the Affordable Care Act (ACT) as individuals enroll in the new Healthcare Insurance Marketplace and under Medicaid expansion, according to Carol Kelly, NACDS senior vice president of government affairs and public policy, on the NACDS website.
FDA addresses IV nutrition shortage with lipid injectable emulsion approval
October 8th 2013Under a priority review to help alleviate a drug shortage, FDA has approved lipid injectable emulsion, USP (Clinolipid, Baxter Healthcare) for intravenous feeding (parenteral nutrition) in adult patients, providing a source of calories and essential fatty acids for adult patients who are unable to eat or drink.
Chronic opioid use increases after bariatric surgery
October 8th 2013Chronic use of opioids among obese patients prior to bariatric surgery continues after bariatric surgery, and the dose. has been shown to be greater postoperatively than preoperatively, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Skipping antibiotic after hospital discharge leads to higher medical costs
October 4th 2013Patients who skip filling an antibiotic prescription after hospital discharge because of high out-of-pocket costs are at increased risk of rehospitalization and cost the healthcare system substantially more in the long term, according to a study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Managed Care.
California provider-status bill signed into law
October 2nd 2013California Governor Jerry Brown has signed provider-status legislation authorizing pharmacists throughout the Golden State to give a full range of immunizations, as well as dispensing birth control pills and certain medications for international travel.
Pharmacy best college major for lucrative career
September 30th 2013Want to guide your son or daughter toward a college major that has the best chance of leading to a good-paying job? If so, then there’s no better choice than pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences, according to Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine.
Digoxin use linked to higher risk of death for patients with newly diagnosed heart failure
September 30th 2013Digoxin, commonly used to treat heart conditions, was associated with a 72% higher rate of death among adults with newly diagnosed heart failure, according to a Kaiser Permanente study in the September issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Dapagliflozin as part of triple therapy works well for T2DM
September 30th 2013In adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are uncontrolled on metformin and sulfonylurea, dapagliflozin can be added to help improve HbA1c and reduce fasting plasma glucose, body weight, and seated systolic blood pressure, according to results from a study presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Barcelona, Spain, in September.
New NCPA webpage helps independents make Obamacare choices
September 30th 2013The National Community Pharmacists Association has created a webpage to educate independent pharmacy owners about Obamacare insurance options for its employees and to help staff members answer patient questions about health insurance exchanges.
NACDS, NCPA support passage of compounding, drug security bill
September 27th 2013Both the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) have endorsed The Drug Quality and Security Act, with letters to Congress to approve the legislation that was introduced September 26. The bill’s two major provisions are expected to address high-risk compounding practices and help to secure the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Cognitive enhancers don’t help after 96 weeks in mild cognitive impairment for Alzheimer’s patients
September 26th 2013Cognitive enhancers-drugs taken to enhance concentration, memory, alertness, and moods- that are often given to patients with Alzheimer’s disease do not improve cognition or function for those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the long term-about 96 weeks, according to a study published recently in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
S. 959 passage would close 40% of compounding pharmacies, survey says
September 26th 2013A new poll sent to independent compounding pharmacies by the Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA) found that approximately 40% of pharmacies surveyed would close their businesses under the requirements of Senate Bill 959, The Pharmaceutical Quality, Security, and Accountability Act.