New York City hospitals to limit outpatient opioids to 3-day supply
January 14th 2013To help prevent opioid abuse, New York City hospitals will be limiting opioid prescriptions dispensed from its emergency departments to a three-day supply, will not be prescribing long-acting opioids, and will not be refilling lost, stolen, or destroyed prescriptions, according to new voluntary emergency room guidelines that were made available on Jan. 10.
Walgreens receives Medical Home accreditation
January 14th 2013Many of the primary care worksite health centers managed by Walgreens Employer Solutions Group have received Medical Home accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), the company recently announced.
NABP action plan created to help enforce compounding regulations
January 14th 2013Last month NABP Executive Director Carmen Catizone, MS, RPh, unveiled an action plan to inspect nonresident compounding pharmacies and create a database to share regulatory information about these pharmacies with the state boards of pharmacy nationwide.
NACDS Total Store Expo offers unique business opportunity in August
January 14th 2013This year the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is offering a one-of-a-kind business opportunity by combining its three trade shows-the Marketplace Conference, the Pharmacy and Technology Conference, and the Supply Chain & Logistics Conference-into one, Total Store Expo.
FDA recommends lower dose of zolpidem for patient safety
January 11th 2013In a drug safety communication, FDA has recommended that the bedtime dose of zolpidem, for the treatment of insomnia, be lowered because new data show that blood levels in some patients may be high enough the morning after use to impair activities that require alertness, including driving.
FDA approval addresses noninfectious diarrhea in HIV/AIDS patients
January 11th 2013FDA’s recent approval of crofelemer (Fulyzaq, Salix Pharmaceuticals, under license from Napo Pharmaceuticals), 125-mg delayed-release tablets, the first anti-diarrheal drug for HIV/AIDS patients taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), is a significant step forward in addressing the unmet medical need of people with HIV/AIDS on ART who experience noninfectious diarrhea, which often can lead to reduced treatment compliance.
FDA issues guidance on development of abuse-deterrent opioid formulations
January 10th 2013FDA issued a draft guidance on Jan. 9 to help industry in the development of opioid drug formulations with abuse-deterrent properties, saying it considers development of these products a high public health priority.