November 22nd 2024
On the most recent episode of Over the Counter, James Rider, PharmD, joined Drug Topics to discuss his career journey as a chain pharmacist.
FDA approves sitagliptin and simvastatin combination therapy
October 7th 2011FDA has approved sitagliptin and simvastatin (Juvisync, MSD International GmbH Clonmel), a fixed-dose combination prescription medication that contains 2 previously approved medications in 1 tablet for use by adults who need both sitagliptin and simvastatin.
OTC product news for pharmacists (September 2011)
September 19th 2011In this section we showcase products and product news that ran up against space limitations or fell outside the parameters of recently featured categories in the print edition. Look for more OTC Product News in upcoming issues of the Community Pharmacists? Report.
NSAIDs increase miscarriage risk in early pregnancy
September 13th 2011Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be used with caution during pregnancy, as exposure may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion, reported a study published online September 6 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
FDA panel recommends approval of rivaroxaban for stroke prevention
September 9th 2011An FDA advisory panel voted 9-2 (with 1 abstention) to recommend approval for rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Johnson & Johnson and Bayer AG), an oral, once-daily anticoagulant as a treatment to prevent stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.
FDA acknowledges ongoing drug shortage, warns pharmacists of fraud
September 1st 2011Drugs such as Taxol, Cytarabine, Daunorubicin, Doxil, and Leucovorin are in short supply, delaying patients with various forms of cancer from getting the treatments they need or forcing them to seek alternative, possibly less-effective treatments, FDA announced recently.
Some patients may quit long-term Rxs after hospital discharge
August 31st 2011Patients discharged from the hospital are at increased risk of not continuing their long-term medications for chronic diseases, and ICU admission appears to expand this risk, according a recent study published August 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
FDA approves crizotinib with companion diagnostic for a type of late-stage lung cancer
August 30th 2011FDA has approved crizotinib (Xalkori, Pfizer), the first and only therapy specifically for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer that is ALK-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test.
PPA holds workshop for future pharmacy owners
August 29th 2011Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association will hold a ?Future Pharmacy Owner Workshop? September 24 at the Crowne Plaza Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Penn., for chain employees as well as for phamacists in any setting, including new practitioners and student pharmacists interested in pharmacy ownership. The workshop is being held in conjunction with the association's annual conference.
FDA approves tapentadol ER for management of moderate-to-severe chronic pain
August 26th 2011FDA has approved tapentadol extended-release tablets (Nucynta ER, Janssen Pharmaceuticals), an oral analgesic taken twice daily, for the management of moderate-to-severe chronic pain in adults when a continuous, around-the-clock opioid analgesic is needed for an extended period of time.
FDA approves Botox to treat a form of urinary incontinence
August 25th 2011FDA has approved onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox, Allergan) for injection for the treatment of urinary incontinence resulting from detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition (e.g., spinal cord injury [SCI], multiple sclerosis [MS]) in adults who have an inadequate response to or are intolerant of an anticholinergic medication.
FDA Safety Alert: Abnormal heart rhythms associated with high doses of citalopram hydrobromide
August 25th 2011FDA has notified healthcare professionals and patients that the antidepressant citalopram hydrobromide (Celexa, Forest Laboratories) should no longer be used at doses greater than 40 mg per day because it can cause abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart.
FDA progress report: Medical responses to public health emergencies
August 24th 2011Last summer FDA announced an action plan for medical countermeasures, such as drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests, to be used in responding to a public health emergency. The part of that effort aimed at regulatory science for medical countermeasures has been getting off the ground in recent months, FDA said in an August 19 presentation, with 85 intramural research projects in different parts of the agency.