Beware of fake remedies sold as "dietary supplements"
September 4th 2009Manufacturers, promoters, and sellers of dietary supplements are prohibited by law from making claims to treat or cure illness or disease, or their symptoms. Pharmacists should encourage patients to check with medical professionals before commencing use of any dietary supplement.
Cardiometabolic disorders: The pharmacist's role
September 4th 2009The term "cardiometabolic disorders" (CMD) refers to a cluster of interrelated risk factors (hypertension, elevated fasting glucose, reduced high-density lipoprotein, elevated triglycerides, and abdominal obesity) that promote the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. With an estimated 47 million Americans facing increased risk of heart disease because of these conditions, management of patients' CMD is a priority for pharmacists.
When pharmacy meant community, we showed up for each other
September 4th 2009Before the concept of "networking" became necessary, professional colleagues were often friends as well as peers, gathering regularly to compare notes, have fun, and support each other through difficult times. The loss of that connection has impoverished today's practice of pharmacy.
September 26 rollback of wholesale drug prices approaching fast
September 4th 2009With the settlement of the class-action lawsuit brought against First DataBank and McKesson by third-party payors accusing the companies of conspiring to inflate average wholesale prices (AWP) of hundreds of drugs, AWP values will roll back from 1.25 to 1.20 times the drugs' wholesale acquisition cost (WAC).
Herbal supplements are hot sellers
September 4th 2009With the settlement of the class-action lawsuit brought against First DataBank and McKesson by third-party payors accusing the companies of conspiring to inflate average wholesale prices (AWP) of hundreds of drugs, AWP values will roll back from 1.25 to 1.20 times the drugs' wholesale acquisition cost (WAC).
Patient counseling: How pharmacists can choose the most critical cases
September 4th 2009The best technique for counseling patients is a combination of Show & Tell and the Indian Health Services questions. If pharmacists could quickly decide which prescriptions needed extended counseling, they could employ this approach when it is most necessary. Now there's an algorithm for that.
West Virginia's attorney general sues pharmacies
September 2nd 2009The West Virginia Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit alleging that CVS Pharmacy, Kmart, Kroger, Walgreen Pharmacy, and Target violated a state law designed to promote use of generic equivalents for brand-name prescription drugs, according to media reports in the state.
First-ever opioid conversion text released
August 31st 2009Want to see fear on the face of a pharmacist? Ask for a quick dosage conversion for a 75-year-old woman with breast cancer who has become too weak to swallow MS Contin tablets and needs an oral liquid morphine. Keep reading to learn more about making conversions easier.
Virginia's pharmacy board adopts new CE compliance process
August 28th 2009In what it describes as an effort to stabilize and possibly decrease costs, a significant portion of which are associated with enforcement of laws and regulations, the Virginia Board of Pharmacy is testing new processes to help increase the efficiency of certain noncompliance issues.