Reducing adverse drug events by targeting at-risk patients
September 3rd 2013Knowing which patients are most at-risk for adverse drug events would help hospitals direct pharmacist-led counseling services to those who need it the most. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Foundation is funding research it believes will make it easier to identify those patients.
Wagner to present ASHP’s Zellmer Lecture
September 3rd 2013Dennis C. Wagner, a national and international leader in healthcare quality improvement, the environment, and social marketing, will present the fourth annual William A. Zellmer Lecture on September 17, 2013, during the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Policy Week in Bethesda, Md.
AAP report updates use of medications during breast-feeding
August 28th 2013The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clinical report released this week provides guidance for physicians about the use of psychotropic drugs, substance abuse treatments, narcotics, galactagogues, herbal products, and vaccines in breast-feeding women and the potential effects on the breast-feeding infant.
Canadian Medical Association calls expanded pharmacist functions beneficial
August 27th 2013Pharmacists in Canada were recently given broader responsibilities including, in certain provinces, prescribing privileges, vaccination abilities, and the ability to order and interpret laboratory tests. This newly expanded role for Canadian pharmacists can benefit both patients and physicians, according to an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Broader-spectrum antibiotics over-prescribed in ambulatory settings
August 16th 2013The majority of antibiotics prescribed for adults in ambulatory care settings are broad-spectrum agents, most commonly fluoroquinolones and macrolides. These are frequently prescribed for conditions where no antibiotic therapy is needed at all, such as for bronchitis and colds, which are caused by viruses, according to a study published online July 25, 2013, in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Rise in mortality risk seen in hysterectomized women not using estrogen therapy
August 15th 2013A severe decline in the use of estrogen therapy (ET) due to misunderstanding the findings of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Estrogen Plus Progestin Trial has particularly affected hysterectomized women in their 50s, leading to excess mortality, according to a study published online in the American Journal of Public Health.
FDA approves third oral agent for MS
August 15th 2013Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera, Biogen Idec) oral delayed-release capsules, formerly called BG-12, was approved by the FDA on March 27, 2013 for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). It is the third oral drug to be recently approved for the treatment of these types of MS.