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A recent resolution by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists to require postgraduate one-year residencies for all pharmacists involved in direct patient care, has long-term consequences-and brings long-term controversy.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has come out with new, less stringent rules on the coverage of two popular anemia drugs. The new rules apply mostly to cancer patients who receive chemotherapy that causes anemia and people with the bone marrow disorder myelodysplasia.

Chains should not have been the only ones contacted about the issue of drug errors. Pharmacists should also have been consulted about ways to error proof pharmacies.

On June 15th, the FDA issued both a drug approval and rejection for two treatments being evaluated to treat the condition in one day.

CMS has proposed a rule that would require durable medical equipment suppliers to obtain a surety bond.

Organized by HBC category, the never-out list is Hamacher Resource Group's proprietary list of products that pharmacy shelves should never be without. The following is a partial list of never-outs from the weight-control category.

Sentri7 can be individualized by the user to collect certain data about certain patients, which is very helpful in antibiotic stewardship programs. Sentri7 automates data collection, analysis, action steps, and outcome documentation.

The Joint Commission has outlined 11 implementation steps for meeting its national patient safety goal of reduced risk for anticoagulation therapy.

A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin found that 4% of chronic pain patients taking opioid drugs such as OxyContin (oxycodone HCI, Purdue Pharma) or Percocet (oxycodone HCI/acetaminophen, Endo Labs) abuse the medications.

Medicare Survival Kit Links

Watson Pharmaceuticals announced that Allen Chao, its chairman, president, and CEO, will retire as president and CEO effective Sept. 4.

The incentive-based program contains two ways for Shopko customers to save more.

Drug Fair has introduced the WE CARE Shopper Reward Program in all Drug Fair and Cost Cutters stores.

Patients with severe malaria who need parenteral therapy because they are unable to take oral medications may now benefit from treatment with artesunate, an unapproved therapy now available through a new CDC Investigational New Drug Application.

Ariad is developing the new entity in conjunction with Merck for the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic cancers.

A new strength of Stalevo, the combination drug from Orion Corp. and Novartis used to treat Parkinson's disease, has been approved by the FDA.

Overactive bladder can now be treated with an extended-release version of trospium chloride.

The bills would provide for Medicare reimbursement, under Part D, for the safe and effective disposal of used needles and syringes through a sharps-by-mail or similar program.

More than 500,000 clinicians using Epocrates? drug reference software will now have access to Caremark Pharmacy Services division formulary information.

Materials and computers from the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy and the offices and home of professor Flynn Warren Jr., M.S., have been seized by U.S. marshals investigating cheating on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX).

Hospitals that treat patients for illnesses resulting from medical errors and hospital-acquired infections will no longer be reimbursed by Medicare, under new rules adopted by CMS.

A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin found that 4% of chronic pain patients taking opioid drugs such as OxyContin (oxycodone HCI, Purdue Pharma) or Percocet (oxycodone HCI/acetaminophen, Endo Labs) abuse the medications.

Talecris Biotherapeutics has come out with a portable policy for its liquid immune globulin intravenous Gamunex.

Oral medications used for the treatment of acne offer the best long-term outcomes despite advances in laser and light-based therapies.

Community pharmacies are smarting over a proposed rule by HHS that will help limit the Medicare program's risk by requiring all suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) to provide CMS with a surety bond.

Rite Aid and the American Pain Foundation are partnering to provide free comprehensive pain management information in August and September at all Rite Aid stores nationwide.

HealthSpring is adding medication therapy management services to its national Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, beginning in January 2008.

Three out of four people participating in an on-line Drug Topics poll during the month of July believe thimerosal or mercury is dangerous and should be banned from all drugs.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that the average sale price based on data reported to Medicare for 39 medications exceeded the average manufacturer price by at least 5%.

Consumers may not be aware of the May recall of Complete MoisturePlus Multipurpose Contact Lens Solution manufactured by Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) and continue to use the recalled product. Several cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis reported to CDC involved the use of AMO Complete MoisturePlus after the recall was announced.