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Medicare legislation sponsored by Reps. Marion Berry (D, Ark.) and Walter Jones (R, N.C.), known as H.R. 5182 or "the Medicare FAST Act," would increase Medicare costs by $55 billion over the next decade, according to a new analysis conducted by the Moran Co. and released by PCMA.

A bill (H.R. 5791) has been introduced in Congress that would require Medicare to cover all aspects of home infusion therapy under Part B. The Medicare Home Infusion Consolidated Coverage Act of 2006, which would cover drugs, supplies, and professional services, was introduced by Reps. Kay Granger (R, Texas), Eliot Engel (D, N.Y.), Randy Kuhl (R, N.Y.), and Tammy Baldwin (D, Wis.).

Millions of Medicare beneficiaries would face decreased access to DME such as wheelchairs and diabetes test strips if a proposed rule by CMS takes effect, according to NCPA. The association issued a statement saying "the so-called Competitive Acquisition Program developed by CMS creates huge administrative burdens for pharmacists that could affect the availability of DME, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies, as well as Medicare Part B medications, immunizations, therapeutic shoes, diabetes supplies, and nebulizers.

Taking triptans to fight off a migraine together with either a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or a selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) may lead to the development of serotonin syndrome, according to a new FDA warning. The three types of medications all raise the level of serotonin in the body and can lead to symptoms such as restlessness, loss of coordination, tachycardia, blood pressure changes, increased body temperature, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Women with recurrent ovarian cancer will now have a new therapy option. Gemcitabine (Gemzar, Lilly) has been approved for use in combination with carboplatin for advanced ovarian cancer that has relapsed at least six months after initial therapy.

RxUSA Wholesale has filed a $1.8 billion lawsuit against 16 drug manufacturers, five drug wholesalers, and the Healthcare Distribution Management Association. The New York-based distributor charged a conspiracy to boycott secondary wholesalers, eliminate competition, and maintain artificially high prices.

FFF Enterprises, a multidimensional healthcare corporation based in Temecula, Calif., announced that the company has been awarded Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors (VAWD) accreditation by NABP. FFF is a supplier of biopharmaceuticals, plasma products, vaccines, and clinical trial drugs.

The FDA has issued a warning against bismacine, also called chromacine, after use of the unapproved product led to one death, one hospitalization, and several injuries. The product contains high concentrations of bismuth and is not a pharmaceutical.

The PEG-enhanced version of L-asparaginase, pegaspargase (Oncaspar, Enzon Pharmaceuticals), has been approved by the FDA as a component of a multi-agent chemotherapeutic regimen for the first-line treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The biologic was approved in 1994 only for patients with ALL who were allergic to L-asparaginase.

The FDA has given the go-ahead to EMD Chemicals, a division of Merck KGaA, to market pigments that make pharmaceuticals more ?sthetically pleasing. The pearlescent pigments can produce a metallic, stained, or shimmery finish in tablets and liquids, and they come in different colors.

A study published in the July 23 issue of Nature Medicine found that patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) receiving imatinib (Gleevec, Novartis) are at increased risk for heart failure. Researchers found that the ABL enzyme that is turned off by imatinib is actually a necessary component in maintaining the health of cardiac muscle cells.

Replacement enzyme idursulfase (Elaprase, Shire Human Genetic Therapies) has been approved by the FDA as the first treatment for Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis II), a rare disease in which the body cannot produce iduronate-2-sulfatase. The enzyme is necessary to break down complex sugars produced in the body, and its deficiency can lead to growth delay, coarsening of facial features, and joint stiffness

A recently released report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that effective treatment of drug abuse and addiction can take a bite out of crime and save communities money. Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations is based on a review of the scientific literature on drug abuse treatment and criminal behavior, according to NIDA.

The Government Accountability Office has found that four genetic tests purchased from four Web sites mislead consumers by making predictions that are medically unproven and so ambiguous that they do not provide meaningful information to consumers. GAO purchased tests from four Web sites and created fictitious consumers by submitting for analysis 12 DNA samples from a female and two samples from an unrelated male.

CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals received approval from the Food & Drug Administration in late May to market Oracea. According to the company, this is the first systemically delivered treatment for the treatment of rosacea. Affecting an estimated 14 million adults in the United States, rosacea is a dermatological condition characterized by papules and pustules, erythema, and telangiectasia.

Wal-Mart has agreed to sell Barr Pharmaceutical's Plan B emergency contraception in Connecticut. Wal-Mart will continue to allow pharmacists to refuse to fill the prescription and to refer customers to other pharmacies.

Disetronic Medical Systems and the FDA announced a voluntary nationwide recall of the Disetronic D-TRONplus Power Packs, which power the D-TRON Insulin Pump. There is the potential that the power pack could shut down the D-TRONplus Insulin Pump without any warning.

Pharmacists may wake up to a rise in prescriptions for insomnia medication Rozerem (ramelteon), as Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America gets set to launch its first DTC campaign for the medication. The campaign, which includes print, on-line, and broadcast ads, carries the theme "Your Dreams Miss You."

California Senate Bill 1305 has been passed. The new law requires the proper disposal of home-generated sharps waste (syringes, needles, lancets, etc.) and acknowledges mail-back programs as one of the most convenient alternatives for the collection and destruction of home-generated sharps.

Illinois Gov. Blagojevich has launched a patient safety initiative aimed at reducing medication-related errors by requiring all healthcare providers to use "e-prescribing" paperless doctor prescriptions. The initiative creates a division of patient safety within the Illinois Department of Public Health focused on reducing medical mistakes, developing standard medication practices to reduce adverse drug interactions, and creating on-line physician databases so patients can check out their doctors.

The House and Senate are considering a bill that would force many U.S. military families to fill most of their prescriptions through mail order. The TRICARE provisions of the Defense Authorization Act are headed for a House-Senate conference after different versions of the bill passed in each chamber.

Complaints from NCPA members have been steadily building over low maximum allowable cost (MAC) reimbursement from Express Scripts for generic Zocor. According to NCPA, it has received numerous reports that Express Scripts, one of the largest PBMs in the country, has set a MAC for simvastatin at approximately two-thirds of the pharmacy acquisition price.

Wal-Mart has launched a new ad campaign to promote its pharmacy departments. The effort includes TV, radio, print, outdoor, on-line, in-store, and direct-mail components.

The American Liver Foundation (ALF) has issued a warning based on a recent study dealing with the effects of high doses of acetaminophen on the liver. The study, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that healthy adults who took the maximum recommended dose of acetaminophen for two weeks had drastically increased liver enzyme levels, which could lead to liver damage.

SmartCare Family Medical Centers, a Colorado-based operator of retail healthcare centers, has signed a partnership agreement with the Fred Meyer Division of the Kroger Co. to open its SmartCare Centers inside sports stores located in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. SmartCare Centers will open centers in Seattle this fall.

Bayer Healthcare has announced the launch of a program designed for patients with hemophilia A. The Kogenate FS with Bio-Set Free Trial Program will allow enrollees to receive up to six free infusions of the product delivered to their home or location of choice.

Pharmacist William Schobert, who used to work at Nugent's Apothecary, in Medford, N.J., could face up to 20 years in prison for allegedly creating more than 500 false prescriptions for himself and his family members. Investigators have charged that he sought reimbursement to the tune of $80,000 for the fake claims over a two-year period from his insurer.

Results from two recent studies have led the FDA to notify healthcare professionals and consumers to new concerns about treating pregnant women who take antidepressants. One study showed that women who stopped taking their antidepressants were five times more likely to experience a relapse of their depression during pregnancy compared with those who continued to take the medication.

USP wants input from healthcare practitioners and other interested parties regarding the proposed revisions.