Community Practice

The drug-shortage crisis got a step closer to being alleviated Thursday, when the U.S. Senate passed FDA?s Safety and Innovation Act (SB-3187).

Franck?s Compounding Pharmacy in Ocala, Fla., announced today that it is recalling all sterile human and veterinary prescriptions that is distributed from November 21, 2011, to May 21, 2012.

Statin therapy is safe and effective for people at low risk of major vascular events and, therefore, current guidelines might need to be reconsidered, according to a study published online in The Lancet.

Taking probiotics during a course of antibiotics reduces the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, according to the results of a study published May 9 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Changes in procedural antithrombotic strategy are associated with a significant temporal reduction in major bleeding over time in patients undergoing elective post-percutaneous intervention, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The use of atypical antipsychotics in patients with major depressive disorder who have not responded to antidepressant therapy substantially increased clinical response rates at 6 weeks; however the drugs are also much more costly, according to the results of an analysis published in the May issue of The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

More than a third of patients newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus did not receive the recommended first-line drug, a finding that could have substantial implications for healthcare spending, according to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine.

Pharmacists included in team-based care improve blood-pressure control for patients, according to new recommendations from the Community Preventive Services Task Force.

The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy won the first Innovative Adherence Educators Challenge for the best practices in medication adherence teaching.

The multiple sclerosis drug fingolimod (Gilenya, Novartis) is now contraindicated for use in patients with certain pre-existing or recent heart conditions or stroke, or who are taking certain antiarrhythmic medications, according to FDA.

FDA has notified healthcare professionals that it is aware of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reporting a small increase in cardiovascular deaths and in the risk of death from any cause in persons treated with a 5-day course of azithromycin (Zithromax) compared to persons treated with amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, or no drug.

FDA has approved generic versions of clopidogrel tablets USP (Plavix, Sanofi and Bristol-Myers Squibb), 75 mg and 300 mg.

Warfarin fared no better than aspirin at reducing the combined risk of brain hemorrhage, stroke, or death for heart-failure patients in normal rhythm, according to the results of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Patients with schizophrenia who switched from haloperidol decanoate or fluphenazine decanoate to risperidone microspheres discontinued their treatment more frequently, according to a new study published in the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

A unique study designed to gauge the impacts of polypharmacy on schizophrenia mortality produced some surprising results: The use of antidepressants or 2 or more antipsychotics was not associated with increased deaths, but the use of benzodiazepine was.

Researchers from the University of Washington have identified a threshold concentration of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D] that is associated with increased risk for major medical events and they say that season-specific targets may be more appropriate than static targets when evaluating health risk.

Accreditation standards guarantee reputation and high safety standards for compounding pharmacies.

One pharmacist argues that wanting to be called Doctor is more than just ego.

There are many forces in play that can and should "converge to support better medication management and improved adherence," according to Tom Hubbard of the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI), but coordination and leadership will be crucial.

How much sense does it make to put employees of major drug chains on state Boards of Pharmacy? Depends on whose chickens that fox is guarding.

FDA approves Ivacaftor and Exenatide extended-release injection.

A survey of new Rx, new generic, and new OTC products

FDA talks with stakeholders about the growing number of deaths from opioid drug overdoses.

As pharmacists and others wait to learn ACA's fate in the U.S. Supreme Court, the issue of provider status under the Social Security Act continues to worry those seeking to expand into MTM and other clinical services.

A round-up of OTC products to manage allergies

Four pharmacies have sued HHS and CMS to halt what they call a violation of federal Medicare Part D statute.

Part 2 of this article discusses assistive devices that help impaired diabetes patients self-administer medication.

Healthcare industry experts discuss the pros and cons.

New CAD/ACS antiplatelet agents a mixed bag.

Readers speak out about what got retail pharmacy where it is today; why the term "doctor" is like the curl in a pig's tail; and where the MD should put that vial of ropivacaine.