Overuse of antibiotics spurs vicious cycle
June 23rd 2010Patients whose doctors over-prescribe antibiotics may develop drug resistance that can last up to a year, putting them and others at risk when more serious treatment is needed, according to a study published in May in the British Medical Journal.
Community pharmacists to gather for annual NCPA convention
June 23rd 2010The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) will present the latest in pharmacy education, case studies, and real-world, business-oriented information for the independent community-pharmacy industry at its 112th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition taking place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia Oct. 23 to 27.
Counterfeit Tamiflu sold on Internet puts consumers at risk
June 23rd 2010FDA notified consumers and healthcare professionals that a product represented as "Generic Tamiflu" being sold on the Internet does not contain Tamiflu's active ingredient, oseltamivir, but cloxacillin, an ingredient in the same class of antibiotics as penicillin.
Children's consumption of chronic medications on the rise, new research shows
June 23rd 2010In 2009, the drug trend for children, a measure of prescription-spending growth, increased 10.8%, driven by a 5% increase in drug utilization and higher medication costs, according to the Medco "2010 Drug Trend Report."
Marin County swaps mercury thermometers for digital during Earth Week
June 15th 2010As part of Earth Week 2010, California pharmacies and the Marin Sanitary District collaborated to reduce household amounts of mercury, a toxic substance associated with damage to the nervous system, kidneys, liver, lungs, and immune system.
Methamphetamine: Prescription-only or e-tracking systems?
June 15th 2010Oregon's law requiring prescriptions for pseudoephedrine products practically eliminated its illicit methamphetamine problem. But some pharmacists, consumer groups, and the drug industry say that it will increase healthcare costs and inconvenience consumers. They think electronic sales-tracking systems would be a better approach.
Aggressive lipid control fails to benefit type 2 diabetics
June 15th 2010Adding fenofibrate to statin therapy fails to reduce cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to results of the first trial to evaluate combination therapy presented at the 59th annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology.