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A measure to expand Oregon?s prescription drug discount program to allow small businesses and labor unions to buy medicine for their employees through the program was signed into law by Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

Workers' compensation claims processor WorkingRx and Jopari Solutions, a developer of electronic billing systems, have implemented an end-to-end system for the electronic processing of pharmacy workers? compensations bills.

Beginning July 1, physicians will be able to delegate prescriptive authority to physician assistants (PAs) in Indiana.

A 72-year-old pharmacist, Sanford Kessler of Alvin's Pharmacy in Teaneck, N.J., has been charged with illegally selling sample medications to the public. Kessler has denied the charges.

DEA plans to make N-phenethyl-4-piperidone (NPP) a List I chemical in an effort to control the illicit manufacture of fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance.

ApothéCure Inc., a drug compounding pharmacy in Texas erroneously made the drug colchicine 10 times more potent than intended, leading to the death of three people.

Beginning on April 30, participating members have been able to more effectively manage the performance programs from seven more drug- companies, including ReoPro (abciximab) from Eli Lilly and Integrilin (eptifibatide) from Schering.

ASHP has announced the release of ResiTrak, a free, Internet-based tool that tracks the learning progress of pharmacy residents.

The FDA has issued a warning about the sale of counterfeit prescription medications from on-line pharmacies.

XLHealth Corp. is adding medication therapy management to its Care Improvement Plus Medicare Advantage plan in Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, South Carolina, and Texas.

SupplyScape, which provides electronic pedigree security, has lined up more than 50 customers in the three years it has been in existence.

In a statement submitted recently to a Senate Finance Committee hearing, NACDS recommended eight specific enhancements for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program.

American consumers currently have access to nearly 59,000 retail pharmacies widely dispersed in urban, suburban, and rural areas throughout the country, giving them, on average, access to 21 competing pharmacies located near their current pharmacy.

The FDA is requesting an update to the existing black box to include information regarding the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in young adults ages 18 to 24 years old during the first two months of treatment.

AzaSite (azithromycin ophthalmic solution) 1% has been approved by the FDA.

Janssen has received word from the FDA giving it the green light to market Invega for long-term maintenance treatment of schizophrenia.

Patients with von Willebrand disease (vWD) undergoing surgery may now benefit from the use of Humate-P (Antihemophilic Factor/von Willebrand Factor Complex) to prevent excessive bleeding during and after surgery.

Newly approved Veramyst, a nasal spray containing fluticasone furoate, will not only improve nasal symptoms associated with allergies but also relieve allergic eye symptoms, according to manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline.

Death rates and heart failure in hospitalized heart attack patients have fallen significantly, due in part to the growing use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, powerful blood thinners, and angioplasty.

Data from a new report reveals that competition from authorized generics during the 180-day exclusivity period leads to lower prices and does not reduce or slow the introduction of new generic pharmaceuticals.

The Patient Safety Solutions address the issues of: look-alike, sound-alike medication names; correct patient identification; handover communications; correct procedure at the correct body site; control of concentrated electrolyte solutions; medication accuracy; catheter and tubing misconnections; needle reuse and injection device safety; and hand hygiene.

Long-acting Lantus (insulin glargine, Sanofi-Aventis) will soon be available in a device that will allow diabetes patients to administer up to 80 units in one injection.

Manufacturers Amgen and Wyeth have received approval from the FDA for a 25 mg/0.5 ml single-use prefilled syringe of etanercept (Enbrel).

The FDA has approved the use of estrogen for the treatment of moderate to severe vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse and for symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy associated with menopause.

Latebreakers: First bird flu vaccine approved

Latebreakers: Warnings issued for Avastin

Latebreakers: New therapy for Paget?s disease

Latebreakers: CDC updates gonorrhea treatment guide

Impetigo is a bacterial skin condition common in children and characterized by blisters that may itch. Now there is a new antibacterial ointment approved to treat this condition. Retapamulin (Altabax 1%, GlaxoSmithKline) is the first of a new class of antibacterials known as pleuromutilins. According to the manufacturer, no other antibacterials use the same specific mode of action.

Latebreakers: CCRx tops for customer satisfaction