Health System

A recent resolution by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists to require postgraduate one-year residencies for all pharmacists involved in direct patient care, has long-term consequences-and brings long-term controversy.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has come out with new, less stringent rules on the coverage of two popular anemia drugs. The new rules apply mostly to cancer patients who receive chemotherapy that causes anemia and people with the bone marrow disorder myelodysplasia.

On June 15th, the FDA issued both a drug approval and rejection for two treatments being evaluated to treat the condition in one day.

Sentri7 can be individualized by the user to collect certain data about certain patients, which is very helpful in antibiotic stewardship programs. Sentri7 automates data collection, analysis, action steps, and outcome documentation.

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Watson Pharmaceuticals announced that Allen Chao, its chairman, president, and CEO, will retire as president and CEO effective Sept. 4.

The incentive-based program contains two ways for Shopko customers to save more.

Drug Fair has introduced the WE CARE Shopper Reward Program in all Drug Fair and Cost Cutters stores.

Hospitals that treat patients for illnesses resulting from medical errors and hospital-acquired infections will no longer be reimbursed by Medicare, under new rules adopted by CMS.

Talecris Biotherapeutics has come out with a portable policy for its liquid immune globulin intravenous Gamunex.

Steve Anderson is the new president of NACDS. Drug Topics asks Anderson a series of questions about the challenges ahead in a one-on-one interview.

Three out of four people participating in an on-line Drug Topics poll during the month of July believe thimerosal or mercury is dangerous and should be banned from all drugs.

Privigen is indicated for the treatment of both primary immunodeficiency and chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura and will be launched in the first quarter of 2008.

A notice from the Health Resources & Services Administration spells out the conditions children's hospitals must meet in order to qualify.

NACDS has mobilized its Rapid Response Program to take issue with a recent article in the legal publication, the West Virginia Record.

Steve Anderson is the new president of NACDS. Drug Topics asks Anderson a series of questions about the challenges ahead in a one-on-one interview.

The United States Pharmacopeia is finalizing revisions to Chapter 797 on sterile compounding for release this summer. The updated chapter will be released in two parts.

Rich with medication knowledge, today's pharmacists-or a growing legion of them-are extending their reach into new areas of patient care. In the process, they are helping to redefine the practice and make the pharmacist an even more valuable and powerful member of the health-care team.

New studies suggest that widely used antianemia drugs may seriously harm cancer patients.

FDA and AHRQ heard from pharmacists and others that RiskMAPs have often caused complications in medication dispensing. Current drugs with RiskMAPs include Clozapine, Thalidomide, Lindane and Isotretinoin.

HealthMatics ED system is a software application that automates an emergency department, from patient tracking to clinical documentation.

Smart pumps must be part of a smart system to actually boost patient safety and improve outcomes.

Inviro Medical Devices has introduced an integral write-on stripe, Invirostripe, to its complete line of manually retractable InviroSNAP! safety syringes.

Aromatherapy is a complementary and alternative medicine offering patients of a large Indianapolis health system some relief from the stress associated with chronic illnesses, including cancer, and women's health issues.

ASHP had devloped a draft of proposals to Joint Commission.

Time for a push for greater use of medication lists by consumers, with a standard format for those lists.

Patient takes tramadol 100 mg every six hours for chronic back pain; other medications include two lithium carbonate, extended release tablets, ziprasidone, temazepam, and trazodone.

Controversy surrounding rosiglitazone (Avandia) and cardiac risk prompted a special symposium at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association.

Developing a program to prevent over-prescribing of antibiotics will increase effectiveness of the drugs and save money.

Researchers at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting stressed that treatment more targeted, with fewer side effects, than before - and cancer deaths are down for the first time in 70 years.