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New products include brand-name drugs, generics, home-health products, over-the-counter, and health and beauty care.

Transparency in Pharmaceutical Purchasing Solutions: The HR Policy Association's Pharmaceutical Purchasing Coalition has 13 PBMs agreeing to five criteria creating pricing transparency for certification.

From pariah to patient

While boards of pharmacy are becoming less punitive in punishing addicted pharmacists, treatment options still vary from state to state.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy pharmacy schools are growing despite increased oversight and a pending faculty shortage.

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.

Outcomes and ASCP push MTM

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

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

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.

Ensuring seamless care

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