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A coalition representing pharmacies, retail food stores, pharmacists, and the makers of OTC medicines is urging Congress to repeal the requirement that prevents consumers from using their FSAs and HSAs to purchase OTC medicines without a prescription.

FDA is recommending removing the breast cancer indication from the label for Avastin (bevacizumab) because the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use.

Patients are significantly more likely to abandon at the pharmacy prescriptions submitted electronically than those dropped off in person, according to the results of a study appearing in the November 16 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

FDA has issued consumer advisories on several products recently, and McNeil Consumer Health Care and Reese Pharmaceutical Co. have issued product recalls.

NACDS and NCPA on Tuesday withdrew their lawsuit against CMS over AMPs.

Baxa Corp. has released a significant upgrade for its DoseEdge Pharmacy Workflow Manager, with more than 39 improvements and enhancements.

Postmenopausal women who take aromatase inhibitors as a treatment for breast cancer may be at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

A recently released IOM workshop summary indicates there are myriad ideas, including better use of EMRs and research to focus action on the most common elements associated with adverse events.

CMS expects to pay $39 billion to hospitals and $4 billion to ASC for outpatient services provided in 2011.

Wanna get something off your chest? Drug Topics readers have a new forum in which to share their thoughts with their peers. To join the conversation, e-mail your submission to cphillis@advanstar.com.

Drug Topics' annual business outlook survey, conducted online in October, drew more than 400 responses from community, hospital, and long-term-care pharmacists. Their conclusions about the coming year may surprise you.

In this season of gustatory indulgence, it can't hurt to prepare for the occasional upset stomach.

This issue is a milestone for Drug Topics, with the publication of the 200th column by Jim Plagakis to appear under the heading "JP at Large."

Patients with health insurance are abandoning their prescriptions at higher rates than they did a year ago and far more frequently than they did 5 years ago, according to a recent study.

New data show that while nearly all MI patients receive beta blockers, most patients receive suboptimal doses that are never increased.

Despite the barriers to provision of MTM that exist for pharmacists, figuring out a way to do it is our professional obligation.

A pharmacy that engages in veterinary compounding has been embroiled in a struggle with FDA since it compounded a vitamin supplement for administration to 21 polo ponies during the U.S. Open Polo Championships in April 2009. When they were injected with the compounded vitamin supplement, all 21 ponies collapsed and died. FDA's subsequent court challenge raises the question of when compounding becomes manufacture.

In his 200th column for Drug Topics' "JP at Large," Jim Plagakis reflects on some moments that stand out.

Counterfeit medications and substandard medications are on the rise, according to Interchange 2010, a conference sponsored by the Partnership for Safe Medicines.

PainSAFE, an initiative of the American Pain Foundation, has launched a website to educate patients and practitioners about pain-management therapies and their risks.

At the Third Annual Risk Management and Drug Safety Summit, attendees and presenters discussed the latest issues related to risk and safety, and examined how REMS and drug safety have fared since 2007.

A survey of new Rx, new generic, and new OTC products

Pharmacists speak out about the pros and cons of the placebo effect.

The first interstate electronic exchanges of real patient information should begin shortly in Ohio, at what is expected to become a national hub that will enable information related to prescription drug monitoring to flow across state lines.

The promise of genomic discoveries is tremendous, but modern medicine is not yet ready to use the bulk of these discoveries, said Muin Khoury, MD, PhD, at the annual meeting of the American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) in Baltimore, Md.

After fighting about it for years, Congress included legislation in the mammoth healthcare reform bill that would allow an easier approval path for ?biosimilars,? sometimes referred to as generic versions of biologic products.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation received $1.76 million from 120 benefactors at its 12th annual dinner, held in New York City in November.

In this section we showcase products and product news that ran up against space limitations or fell outside the parameters of recently featured categories in the print edition. Look for more OTC Product News in upcoming issues of the Drug Topics e-newsletter.

Johnson & Johnson announced another product recall, this one involving Children's Benadryl Allergy Fastmelt Tablets, Junior Strength Motrin Caplets, and Extra Strength Rolaids softchews, the Associated Press reported.

The majority of Americans and Canadians are getting enough vitamin D and calcium to meet their needs, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine.