First drug OK'd to treat dementia of Parkinson's disease
July 3rd 2006Until now, Novartis Corp.'s Exelon (rivastigmine tartrate) was approved to treat mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease. Now the drug has gained a new indication-to treat mild to moderate dementia related to Parkinson's disease.
HDMA partners with RxPatrol to prevent Rx theft
June 26th 2006The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) is partnering with RxPatrol to combat the theft and illegal trafficking of prescription medications and further enhance supply chain security. RxPatrol is an information clearinghouse designed to collect, analyze, and share information on pharmacy robberies, burglaries, and theft of controlled substances.
South Alabama pharmacy school back on agenda
June 26th 2006After being shot down by the state commission on higher education last year, the University of South Alabama (USA) is reworking plans for a new pharmacy school. USA is in talks with Auburn University officials about some type of satellite collaboration on its campus in Mobile.
Rx sample distributor earns VAWD seal
June 26th 2006Saddle River Marketing Concepts has earned the Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors accreditation offered by NABP to secure the integrity of the nation's drug supply. The New Jersey-based firm fulfills Rx samples to physicians and trade pack orders for patient assistance programs.
ASHP launches center for hospital pharmacy leadership
June 26th 2006ASHP and the ASHP Research and Education Foundation unveiled plans to establish a center for health-system pharmacy leadership by the end of this year. The center will be a division of the ASHP Research and Educational Foundation and will be located in the organizations headquarters in Bethesda, MD.
Hazardous drugs guidelines revised by ASHP
June 26th 2006ASHP has issued broad recommendations to protect healthcare workers and patients from exposure to known carcinogens and other hazardous substances. The guidelines can be used to develop and implement safety programs that cover all aspects of the handling of hazardous drugs, from receipt to disposal.
Vital Care, APCI enter into agreement
June 26th 2006The American Pharmacy Cooperative (APCI), a Bessemer, Ala.-based independent community pharmacy buying group with more than 1,200 members in 20 states, has entered into a cooperative marketing agreement with Vital Care, Meridian, Miss. The purpose of the agreement is to make it possible for members of APCI to evaluate the practicality of getting into the home infusion and specialty market with a Vital Care franchise.
FDA warns consumers not to use Triaminic vapor patch
June 26th 2006The FDA is warning consumers not to use the Triaminic Vapor Patch marketed by Novartis Consumer Health due to reports of serious adverse events associated with accidental ingestion by children. The patch contains camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol.
SAMHSA: More now use pain relievers nonmedically
June 26th 2006More people initiated nonmedical use of narcotic pain relievers in the past year than initiated use of marijuana or cocaine. This finding comes from a new report from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that extracted data from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
More Web sites sell controlled substances, study finds
June 26th 2006A total of 185 Web sites now sell controlled substances, up from 154 in 2004, according to a survey by the National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse (CASA). Only 11% of the sites require a prescription. Of the 165 sites that don't require an Rx, 30% advertised that no script was needed, 60% offered on-line consultations, and 10% didn't mention a prescription.
McKesson leads the pack in contract price accuracy
June 26th 2006A study conducted by S/T Health Group, an independent healthcare consulting firm, found that McKesson customers experience the lowest percentage of contract price errors in the industry. McKesson officials asserted that the study data affirmed that the San Francisco-based drug wholesaler continues to lead the pharmaceutical wholesale industry in contract price accuracy.
New anesthetic patch is launched
June 26th 2006Zars Pharma has announced the launch of Synera (lidocaine 70 mg/tetracaine 70 mg), a topical patch approved for the prevention of pain associated with superficial venous access and superficial dermatological procedures such as excision, electrodessication, and shave biopsy of skin lesions in patients four months of age and older. Zars Pharma has licensed Synera to Endo Pharmaceuticals for sales and marketing in North America. According
Adverse Event Reporting bill introduced
June 26th 2006A new bill, S. 3546-the Dietary Supplement & Non-Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act-has been introduced. If passed, the bill will amend the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act to require the reporting of "serious" adverse events by manufacturers for both OTCs and dietary supplements to the FDA.
SmartCare Family Medical Centers open at Wal-Mart
June 26th 2006SmartCare Family Medical Centers, a Colorado-based operator of healthcare centers, announced an agreement to lease space within select Wal-Mart Supercenters in Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. SmartCare Centers offer care for common ailments such as sore throats, ear infections, and seasonal allergies, as well as flu shots and other vaccines, school and employment physicals, and cholesterol screenings.
ASHP joins Cardiac Care Alliance
June 26th 2006ASHP has joined the Alliance for Cardiac Care Excellence (ACE), a coalition of healthcare organizations committed to improving care for cardiac patients through the use of nationally accepted standards. The coalition will focus on implementing seven quality measures, including the administration of aspirin to patients arriving at the hospital with symptoms of a heart attack, the prescribing of beta-blockers to heart attack patients at discharge, and the use of ACE inhibitors to treat left ventricular systolic dysfunction.
Longs Drug Stores purchases Network Pharmaceuticals
June 19th 2006Longs Drug Stores has purchased the assets of Network Pharmaceuticals, including 21 retail pharmacies, one wholesale pharmacy, and one closed-door pharmacy, for about $10 million plus inventory. The retail pharmacies are located within or near medical office buildings, clinics, and hospitals.
Insurers to work for bimonthly Part D pay cycle
June 19th 2006America's Health Insurance Plans pledged to work with PBMs to ensure that payment for clean Part D claims is sent electronically or by mail at least twice monthly and no later than 30 days after the claims are submitted by the pharmacy. The industry will also work with PBMs and pharmacy to promote the availability and use of electronic funds transfer for Rx claims.
Disaster planning needed for Rx records
June 19th 2006A report on lessons learned from KatrinaHealth, the collaborative effort to post secure, on-line information about the Rx drug histories of Hurricane Katrina evacuees, has been posted at http://katrinahealth.org/katrinahealth.final.pdf. The Merkle Foundation's report urges the government and private sector to work together to put in place systems, technologies, and policies to ensure that information is readily available to patients and providers when disaster strikes.
MedVantx buys pharmacy service company
June 19th 2006MedVantx, a network promoting use of generics and OTC samples in physician offices, has acquired AmeriPharm, a pharmacy service company based in Sioux Falls, S.D. AmeriPharm will provide central distribution and automated medication replenishment for MedVantx' point-of-care Sample Center.
Seasonal depression patients now less SAD
June 19th 2006Wellbutrin XL (bupropion HCl extended-release tablets) from GlaxoSmithKline has been approved for the prevention of major depressive episodes in patients with a history of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and is the first drug approved for this indication, the FDA said at a press conference. The depressive episodes associated with SAD can last up to six months and tend to occur during the autumn and winter, when daylight hours are at a minimum.
Beware of deadly street drug combo
June 19th 2006The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has issued an alert to healthcare professionals who work with substance abuse patients about a new deadly drug combination being sold on the streets. Fentanyl is being combined with heroin or cocaine and has resulted in more than 100 deaths combined in the cities of Detroit, St. Louis, and Philadelphia since last September.
Contrast agent may be linked to nephrogenic fibrosis
June 19th 2006Gadolinium-containing contrast agents used at high doses may be linked to development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSF/NFD) that occurs in patients with kidney failure. The FDA has learned of 25 cases of NSF/NFD in patients who received Omniscan, a gadolinium contrast agent, and then underwent a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).
Zetia, fenofibrate combo OK'd for cholesterol lowering
June 19th 2006Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals has announced the approval of a new indication for Zetia (ezetimibe). The drug can now be used in combination with fenofibrate, along with diet, for the reduction of high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in patients with mixed hyperlipidemia, a metabolic disorder consisting of high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, and elevated triglycerides.
NIH: Effective ploys for tobacco cessation underused
June 19th 2006Effective tobacco cessation interventions are available and could double or triple quit rates, but not enough smokers request or are being offered these interventions. This was a key finding of an NIH panel that convened recently to assess the available scientific evidence on tobacco use prevention, cessation, and control.