Community Practice

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is urging physicians, nurse practitioners, and other prescribers to get National Provider Identifier numbers before May deadline.

Advocacy groups support NACDS in urging Congress to pass Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act to preserve pharmacy access to medications.

Disruptions in switching low-income Medicare Part D patients from one drug plan to another will be reduced as a result of a new rule issued by CMS.

A Government Accountability Office report urges the Department of Defense to make more use of mail order to slow its drug spending.

Final rule establishes standards for: formulary and benefits, medication history, fill status notification, and provider identifier

Congress is considering a bill that toughens the controlled substance distribution standards that online pharmacies must meet, while Indiana passes a law to combat illegitimate Internet pharmacies.

Rite Aid pharmacists offer Allergy Guide to help patients get through allergy season.

GlaxoSmithKline updates Warnings and Precautions sections of zanamivir prescribing information

Graymark Healthcare announces the purchase of two independent pharmacies, upping its store count to 14.

Alegent Health is partnering with eq-Life and Fairview Pharmacy Services to grow its retail pharmacies.

NCPA, FBI LEEDA, Purdue Pharma L.P. program will promote improving pharmacy safety and security.

Health Mart launches mobile wellness tour to provide free health screenings in Midwest markets.

A new Rx card will enable needy patients in New Jersey to get discounts of up to 50% off their prescription drugs.

Duane Reade names John Lederer as Chairman of the Board/CEO

The owners of two Miami-based healthcare corporations were sentenced to 63 and 56 months in prison for their roles in separate Medicare fraud schemes

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has released new guidelines to encourage the safe use of automated dispensing cabinets.

A pharmacist and nurse have created a Web site, Medicaresaver.com, to help seniors find a cost-effective Medicare Part D plan

Afluria, CSL Biotherapies flu vaccine, can be pre-booked for the upcoming flu season

Catalyst Rx PBM expands Generic Advantage Plan.

Tabula Rasa Strategies to offer medication therapy management consulting services.

A men's health group is organizing an online petition to urge Congress to rescind a CMS practice of restricting prostate cancer patients to the least costly drug alternative.

Covidien is recalling its heparin products supplied by Scientific Protein Laboratories because they contain a heparin-like contaminant.

CVS and National Council on Aging Extend Prescription for Better Health Partnership.

FDA warns consumers about recall of "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula".

FDA is looking at whether Ziagen and Videx is linked to more heart attacks.

Regranex is being studied by the FDA on whether it is linked to higher rates of cancer.

FDA issues a notice requiring the manufacturers of 25 high-risk drugs and biologics to submit a REMS plan.

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association looks at biologics, citizen petitions, patent reform, trade policy, and other key issues.

A work group is looking at what interoperatability standards are needed to establish electronic medication administration records in long-term care.

The FDA is undertaking a study of Merck?s Singulair to see if it is associated with a higher rate of suicide.