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Hospitals will not have to deduct pharmacy overhead costs from drug acquisition costs on Medicare claims, nor will they have to report overhead charges as a separate billing line item. However, CMS refused to back off its proposal to cut the 2008 reimbursement rate for all separately payable drugs.

Lower dose of dasatinib (Sprycel) approved.

This drug combines an antihistamine with a nasal decongestant.

Aripiprazole is approved by FDA for schizophrenia in adolescents.

NACDS and NCPA sue CMS to stop implementation of the average manufacturer price rule.

Outcomes Pharmaceutical Health Care and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists to jointly focus on increasing access to MTM services

FDA warns of potential cefepime safety risk

Health Net of Connecticut is being criticized for sending misleading electronic messages to pharmacists that improperly denied coverage for low-income children

CMS has introduced a new tool for comparing Medicare Part D drug plans, but critics contend that it is still a confusing process

Reliance Wholesale receives VAWD certification from NABP

Two out of 10 hospital pharmacists know of incidents in which inadequate policies have led to patient harm, an exclusive Drug Topics survey concluded.

The idea of a major new center to support studies comparing drugs and other medical interventions in head-to-head research has gained surprising focus in health policy discussions.

Tasigna (nilotinib) received FDA approval for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in adult patients who are resistant to other therapies.

ACCP's Public and Professional Affairs Committee presented its new position paper.

Concurrent use of duloxetine and eletriptan increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.

The FDA has granted approval to a new form of sevelamer, a phosphate binder used to treat patients with chronic kidney disease who are on dialysis.

Updated guidelines address tumors arising in the lip, oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, glottic and supraglottic larynx, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, and salivary glands.

A prevailing operational relationship with his pharmacy department was a major factor in winning a prestigious safety and quality award.

Doribax (doripenem for injection), a broad spectrum antibiotic, was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal and complicated urinary tract infections.

Hospitals concerned about their infection rates may want to consider the use of a new pain relief device that potentially offers a two-pronged benefit – the reduction of pain and surgical site infections.

Hospital reduces medical errors with automatic drug dispensing/distribution system.

Gift cards promote polypharmacy

Medication reconciliation is important to patient safety and should be overseen by hospital pharmacists, but relatively few pharmacists have time to counsel patients.

Manufacturers are launching new over-the-counter medicines that are innovative.

Two Food and Drug Administration advisory committees voted 13 to 9 to recommend that cough and cold over-the-counter medications not be used for children who are more than two and less than six years old.

Drug-buying decision tools work, they save consumers money and we now have the statistics to prove it, according to a founder of one of the most prominent of those Web-based aids.

NACDS promotes role of community pharmacy to Presidential candidates

NCPA and NACDS have filed a preliminary injunction against CMS to stop the implementation of its average manufacturer price rule.

A New Jersey pharmacist was arrested for illegal diversion for selling stolen sample medications.

At an FDA public meeting to consider whether a behind-the-counter class of drugs should be set up, the agency heard from both supporters and detractors.