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The readmission rate for congestive heart failure patients was reduced by more than 50% after Morris Hospital in Morris, Ill., implemented a pilot medication reconciliation program.

Pharmacists save the medical system millions of dollars every single day by keeping people away from the ER. They don't say thank you. And they don't even know that we're front-line money-savers.

Sanofi US recently introduced a blood glucose meter that directly connects to the iPhone and the iPod touch, and communicates results with caregivers and healthcare teams.

What's different in your drug stores this month? A children's sugar-free multivitamin drink. An organizer for patients taking multiple medications. A non-fish oil omega-6 fatty acid supplement. A smaller acetaminophen suppository for infants. Heartburn relief plus breath freshening in a single product. A convenient stain-removing strip option. And there are even more new over-the-counter items featured in the print edition of Drug Topics.

Pharmacists play a vital role in FDA's "new paradigm" for a third class of drugs, according to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

Hospira is voluntarily recalling one lot of hydromorphone injection, USP, 1 mg/mL (C-II), 1-mL fill in 2.5-mL Carpuject, NDC 0409-1283-31, after complaints that a single Carpuject contained more than the 1-mL labeled fill volume, according to a press release posted on the FDA website.

Pharmacists need additional guidance on the handling of biosimilar products in the pharmacy when these products become more widely available following the approval of the biosimilar pathway, said Marcie Bough, senior director of government affairs, APhA, speaking at an FDA hearing last week.

The FDA Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee has recommended approval of once-daily oral emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Truvada, Gilead Sciences) to reduce the risk of HIV-1 infection among uninfected adults.

Because of the drug shortage crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminded healthcare providers this week that ?single dose? or ?single use? medications can be used for only one patient.

Omnicare today said it will pay the U.S. government $50 million in a civil settlement over the Drug Enforcement Administration?s claims that certain Omnicare pharmacies had errors and deficiencies in dispensing controlled substances.

Bariatric surgery plus medical therapy may be a useful strategy for managing uncontrolled diabetes, according to the results of a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis were at twice the risk of infection compared with children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a study published May 1 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy wants to vet internet pharmacies that will be applying for a .pharmacy domain name and to warn about how rogue internet sites are preying on consumers' fears about drug shortages.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association today urged Congress to allow retail pharmacies to continue providing diabetes testing supplies.

A new bill, H.R. 4215, The Medicare Pharmacy Transparency and Fair Audit Act, recently introduced by Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA), would help address 2 big challenges faced by community pharmacists?transparency in setting pharmacy reimbursement and abusive pharmacy audit practices, according to its sponsor.

The Drug Enforcement Administration?s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day produced a record-breaking amount of unused medications.

Connecticut's legislature passed a bill this weekend that would legalize the use of medical marijuana in the state. While several other states have similar laws, Connecticut is putting more restrictions on the dispensing of the drug.

The percentage of Americans who are able to quit smoking has decreased over the past 2 decades, according to a new report, but retail pharmacists can play a key role in reversing that trend, one of the leaders of a team of tobacco researchers told Drug Topics.

In this final installment, an introduction to Maori culture and customs teaches our American visitor to New Zealand respectful ways to communicate with patients and win their trust.

Phthalate metabolites, chemicals commonly used in plastics, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, were linked to an increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes in the elderly, a recent study found.

The supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids has no benefit in treating multiple sclerosis, according to a clinical trial that appeared in the JAMA's Archives of Neurology. However, researchers acknowledged the randomized controlled trial was underpowered.

A set of 11 evidence-based recommendations for managing pain with pharmacotherapy in patients suffering inflammatory arthritis were reported by an international panel online March 24 in Rheumatology.

Current use of warfarin as a stroke prevention therapy in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation is associated with a lower rate of residual stroke or systemic embolism compared with previous data, according to a recent study.

Teenagers with high levels of uric acid have an increased risk for high blood pressure, according to a new study published in the April 2012 issue of the journal Hypertension.

The labels of 2 formulations of finasteride, used to treat enlarged prostates and male-patterned baldness, are being revised to indicate that additional sexual side effects may persist after the drug has been discontinued, FDA announced.

Doctors debate whether men with elevated cholesterol who are otherwise healthy should still take statins, in a new series in JAMA, Dueling Viewpoints.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices is warning about the severe side effects associated with infliximab for rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and other autoimmune disorders.

U.S. healthcare costs associated with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) climbed from $39,400 in 2000 to $53,400 in 2009, and state Medicaid programs paid for the majority of the cases.

Pharmacists are finally eligible to get government support on repaying their student loans if they go to work in communities that are underserved by primary care providers.

The National Community Pharmacists Association and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores expressed their support and made recommendations for Congress's reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.