Community Practice

Opioid overdose deaths in women in the United States increased fivefold from 1999 to 2010. During the same time period, the risk of opioid pain reliever deaths in men increased 3.6 times, according to the July 2 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

In addition to boosting patient health outcomes, medication therapy management is vital to a pharmacy’s bottom line, according to various speakers participating in the recent Pharmacy Quality Alliance’s webinar “Boosting MTM Program Compliance.”

States would see medical costs savings ranging from $19 million to $2.1 billion each if medication adherence rates improved, according to a study released by CVS Caremark.

Walgreens is partnering with Johns Hopkins Medicine to build a store adjacent to the hospital’s East Baltimore campus that will target students and staff and well as the surrounding community.

FDA has approved the use of Plan B One-Step (levonorgestrel) as a nonprescription product for all women of child-bearing potential. This action complies with the April 5, 2013 order of the United States District Court in New York to make levonorgestrel-containing emergency contraceptives available as an over-the-counter (OTC) product without age or point-of-sale restrictions.

More face-to-face interaction between pharmacists and patients would reduce chronic diseases, cut healthcare costs, and lessen the misuse of medications, according to a May 21 white paper by RxAlly.

How to handle the folks who think that none of the rules apply to them

Two new analyses result in conflicting findings

Even with inadequate help and pressure from above, the pharmacist must always put the patient first

Doctors would have to prescribe antibiotics to 12,000 patients diagnosed with common colds to prevent one hospital admission for pneumonia, study shows

Remember that Nike ad? Just do it!

Advocacy and education will change attitudes

Patient-centered outcomes research makes pharmacists even more important members of the healthcare team

As you fill the Rx for that "little blue pill," use the opportunity to tell patients that ED can be a precursor of heart disease

Six steps compounding pharmacies can take to create and maintain a culture of quality assurance

"Compounders" and "compounding manufacturers" defined

Approval requires canagliflozin manufacturer to complete five post-marketing studies

Through patient education and screening processes, pharmacists can identify and support underserved patients with mental illness

Skin-care products for safe fun in the sun

Drug Topics readers weigh in

FDA asks stakeholders to weigh in on solutions

New Rx, Generics, and OTC

For the third consecutive year, Walgreens is partnering with Greater Than AIDS and local health departments across the country to provide free HIV testing between June 27 and June 29.

Unsafe injections remain a problem in the United States and throughout the world, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The Obama administration on Monday abandoned its attempt to restrict access to the emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step (Teva Women’s Health Inc.) as an over-the-counter medication-a decision that’s being celebrated by some groups.

Forty-three members of Congress are urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services not to implement a new policy that prohibits independent community pharmacies from providing same-day, home delivery of diabetes testing supplies to homebound seniors.

With forecasters predicting an active 2013 hurricane season, Rx Response is reminding disaster-response officials and the public of its two programs designed to keep the pharmaceutical pipeline uninterrupted during emergencies.

The National Community Pharmacists Association and RxWiki, Inc. have partnered to offer pharmacists digital solutions, including website services, social media, and mobile apps to deliver medication information to patients.

Bill to advance to Senate for vote; NCPA also testifies on compounding before House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health

California Pharmacists Association urging pharmacists to support provider-status legislation (SB 493) in the California State Senate.