Community Practice

The practice of randomly assigning low-income beneficiaries to Part D prescription drug plans could be wasting millions of dollars according to an analysis by Consumers Union

A new study by the National Institute of Mental Health has revealed receptors that could help researchers develop antidepressants that will work in hours instead of weeks or months.

Leiner admitted the validity of the Unigen patents and agreed not to sell any products containing the ingredients Scutellaria and Acacia catechu while the Unigen patents are in force, unless it were to receive a license to do so from Unigen.

A new guide designed to help pharmacists respond to pandemic influenza has been created through a collaborative effort by APhA, ASHP, and the NACDS Foundation.

Insurers cut back on coverage of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

The two-year project will focus on preventing deceptive providers from operating in the greater Los Angeles and Houston areas.

The product was recalled because the meters reported the wrong units of measurement for Canadian users.

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry is embracing on-line media to build relationships with consumers and is cutting back on traditional broadcast and print media to promote drugs.

Fourteen senators have urged Medicare to extend the deadline for the competitive acquisition program for durable medical equipment (DME) until quality and patient access issues are resolved.

Pharmacy organizations are pushing hard to introduce new legislation in Congress that would repeal all or parts of the final average manufacturer price rule recently released by CMS.

Lawrence Kocot, senior adviser to the administrator at CMS, announced that he is leaving the agency.

PCMA has released a study that claims electronic prescribing could prevent nearly two million medication errors and save the federal government $26 billion over the next 10 years.

DEA has been accused of underestimating the amount of ephedrine needed by the country in Rx and OTC products for 2007.

NACDS offered support for an amendment to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization bill to help ensure that low-income Americans continue to enjoy access to retail community pharmacies in the Medicaid program.

The opportunity for drug companies to voluntarily compare their new drugs with relevant treatment alternatives occurs only 17% of the time, according a study that examined how closely information submitted to formulary committees at managed healthcare systems and PBMs complies with national guidelines from AMCP.

"Project Destiny," will focus on communications, pharmacy reimbursement, business models, and the healthcare system.

Community Specialty Pharmacy Network, a network of more than 100 independent specialty pharmacies, is partnering with Managed Healthcare Associates.

Following the death of a Canadian woman who purchased counterfeit drugs on-line, APhA has renewed its warnings about purchasing drugs electronically.

The research side of Abraxis BioScience will now be called APP.

UnitedHealthcare has announced that BioScrip has been named a specialty pharmacy provider of HIV/AIDS and solid organ transplant drugs and services for its members through December 2008.

Congress inserted a little-noticed provision into the Iraq war supplemental spending bill, mandating the use of tamper-resistant Rx pads for Medicaid prescriptions not submitted electronically.

Results showed 23% of dermatologists now utilize photodynamic therapy to treat actinic keratosis, and 50% of dermatologists have decreased their reliance on antibiotics to treat acne out of concern for growing resistance.

Extina Foam, from Stiefel Laboratories, contains 2% ketoconazole and is approved by the FDA for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis in immunocompetent patients 12 years of age and older.

The report gives side-by-side comparisons of 11 drugs used to treat the condition.

Saint Alphonsus is a 365-licensed bed regional medical center serving Idaho, northern Nevada, and eastern Oregon.

Waters Corp. has announced the release of its MassTrak Immunosuppressant Kit for monitoring tacrolimus blood levels in kidney and liver transplant patients.

Community pharmacies should seek accreditation so they can continue to serve patients under the Medicare Part B DMEPOS program.

New drugs, new generics, OTCs, home health care, health & beauty, et al.