Community Practice

FDA has approved vismodegib (Erivedge, Curtis and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group) for the treatment of adult patients with basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.

Zanamivir and oseltamivir (Tamiflu, Roche) can help prevent and treat the symptoms of influenza, but there is not enough information to evaluate the drugs’ safety and efficacy for preventing the spread of flu or pneumonia, according to a new review published online January 18.

Two key retail pharmacy groups, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association, have renewed their opposition to proposed federal upper limits for generic drug reimbursement under Medicaid.

Aspirin prophylaxis in people without prior cardiovascular disease does not appear to reduce cardiovascular death or cancer mortality, however it was associated with reductions in nonfatal myocardial infarction, according to the results of a meta-analysis published online January 9 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Welcome to the latest public health emergency: Shortages of anti-infective agents. These shortages can adversely affect clinical care and patient outcomes, according to a new study.

FDA approved ingenol mebutate (Picato, LEO Pharma) gel (0.015%, 0.05%) for the topical treatment of actinic keratosis (AK). It is the first topical AK therapy that can be used for as few as 2 or 3 consecutive days.

The Endocrine Society recently released new clinical-practice guidelines recommending that all patients have their blood-glucose levels tested upon admission to the hospital, even if they haven’t had a prior diagnosis of diabetes.

Approximately 1 in 100 patients undergoing total or partial knee replacement surgery and 1 in 200 patients undergoing total or partial hip replacement surgery will experience a venous thromboembolism event, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, before being discharged from the hospital, according to a study reported January 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Getting new Alzheimer’s drugs to market quickly was 1 of the initiatives discussed during the mid-January meeting of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services in Washington, D.C.

William Edward Evans, PharmD, director and CEO at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, has been selected to receive pharmacy’s highest award, the Remington Honor Medal, the American Pharmacists Association announced.

Regions Bank, which operates 1,800 U.S. banks, recently rescinded its policy requiring employees to fill prescription drugs for chronic conditions through mail-order pharmacies.

Medicare patients who believe they were duped into enrolling in a “preferred network” with inadequate pharmacy access should be granted a special enrollment period to sign up for a new Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the National Community Pharmacists Association told the federal agency in a letter.

GE has launched its first product in partnership with the biotechnology medical testing company Bionime, a home device for diabetics called the GE100 Blood Glucose Monitoring System.

FDA recently approved methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release capsules (LA) CII, USP, the generic equivalent of Ritalin LA. Actavis Group, an international generic pharmaceuticals company, received first-to-file exclusivity on the 20-mg, 30-mg, and 40-mg strengths.

Developing new standards for medication therapy management was just one of the initiatives that the non-profit National Council for Prescription Drug Programs accomplished last year.

Welcome to the latest public health emergency: Shortages of anti-infective agents. These shortages can adversely affect clinical care and patient outcomes according to a new study.

A combination of vitamin D and calcium supplementation can reduce the risk of fractures in older adults, according to a study published in the December 20, 2011, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Two pharmacy organizations issued a report aimed at helping colleges and schools of pharmacy develop medication therapy management curricula. The study also emphasized the importance of students learning these lessons early.

Two leading pharmacy groups are combining forces on an initiative that they hope will more effectively involve pharmacists in the coordination of care transition and reduce the number of hospital readmissions of patients

FDA approved the first generic version of the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium tablets).

FDA is requiring that manufacturers of tumor necrosis factor blockers perform enhanced safety surveillance in children, teenagers, and young adults, the agency said on November 3 in an ongoing safety review of this class of biologic products.

Political mavens James Carville and Marlee Matlin will be the keynote speakers at this year’s American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists’ Midyear Clinical Meeting.

Some essential chemotherapy drugs are in short supply for the first time in the United States, according to the October 3 New England Journal of Medicine.

The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology Foundation have issued new guidelines for secondary prevention and risk reduction in patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Liquid acetaminophen for infants is being shipped to hospitals and drug stores in new concentrations, even though manufacturers may not be providing notice about the concentration change, according to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently launched a new antibiotic tracking system, allowing hospitals to monitor their antibiotic use electronically.

FDA approved zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablets (Intermezzo, Transcept Pharmaceuticals) for use as needed to treat insomnia characterized by middle-of-the-night waking followed by difficulty returning to sleep.

Pharmacy association veteran Kathleen Jaeger will publicly advance the role of pharmacists in patient care in a newly created position with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

Pfizer, Medco, and pharmacy groups are all battling to get their voices heard after a November The New York Times article raised questions about prescribing Lipitor versus Atorvastatin (the new generic form of Lipitor).

Patients using the relatively new blood thinner dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim) failed to remain on the treatment 17% of the time after the first 4 months, increasing their risk of stroke, according to a new study.