Risk of secondary cases of C. difficile in households doesn't justify interventions
April 5th 2012The risk of Clostridium difficile infection among households is too low to justify interventions, other than avoiding unnecessary antimicrobials, according to a new study, published in April?s Journal of Infection.
Rituximab may be better second-line RA therapy when anti-TNF fails
April 5th 2012Switching patients with rheumatoid arthritis to rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech) may be more effective than switching them to a second alternative anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) after a first anti-TNF therapy has failed, according to a study published online in Arthritis Care & Research.
Pharmacists, FTC debate during hearing on anti-trust immunity
April 3rd 2012Should independent pharmacies be given anti-trust immunity to act against contracts presented by pharmacy benefit managers? A representative of the Federal Trade Commission said ?no? and pharmacists said ?yes? during a Congressional subcommittee hearing on HR 1946 last week.
Retail pharmacists vow to keep fighting after Express Scripts-Medco merger approved
April 2nd 2012The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved the $29.1 billion merger of Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions on Monday, but the retail pharmacy industry continues to fight the deal, vowing to push a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) that it filed on Friday.
Community pharmacies file suit to block merger of Express Scripts, Medco
March 29th 2012The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), the National Community Pharmacists Association, and 9 retail pharmacy companies filed a lawsuit Thursday to stop the proposed merger of pharmacy benefit manager giants Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions.
Study: Texting enhances HIV therapy compliance
March 29th 2012Weekly mobile phone text messaging may help patients with human immunodeficiency virus adhere to antiretroviral therapy that is often associated with difficult side effects, according to a study published online March 14 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Enhanced pharmacist care improves LDL in patients with dyslipidemia
March 29th 2012Enhanced pharmacist care for patients with dyslipidemia improves low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, according to a study published in the March issue of Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy.
FDA adds new label warnings for the antidepressant citalopram
March 28th 2012FDA added new label warnings for the antidepressant citalopram (Celexa, Forest Laboratories), discouraging patients with certain conditions from using the drug and lowering the dosage recommendations to 20 mg daily for patients aged 60 and older. The warning is also applicable to generic versions of Celexa.