Health System

The ways of PBMs are convoluted and mysterious. If we don't keep a sharp eye out, one of these days we'll be getting prescriptions out of vending machines.

Readers have their say on unionization, fair reimbursement, and self-regulation.

Mepolizumab significantly reduces asthma exacerbations in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, according to a study published in a recent issue of The Lancet.

A new technology add-on payment for Dificid (fidaxomicin) for Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea was recently approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The new EpiPen 2-Pak holds two EpiPens plus a training pen, meant for training patients and their family members. In one hospital, however, a training pen was being stored in the emergency department’s automated dispensing cabinet.

Adults are more likely to successfully quit smoking if they take bupropion, varenicline (Chantix), or a nicotine patch, than those who attempt to quit without medication, according to the results of an ongoing prospective cohort survey published by the journal Addiction.

A fixed-dose combination of azilsartan medoxomil plus chlorthalidone (Edarbyclor, Takeda) was statistically superior to azilsartan medoxomil coadministered with hydrochlorothiazide at reducing and maintaining systolic blood pressure, according to the results of a phase 3 study published online August 31 in The American Journal of Medicine.

Tricare, the health plan for military personnel, retirees, and dependants, has decided not to put Walgreens back in its retail pharmacy network.

This year's International AIDS Conference looked toward a generation free of AIDS.

There is considerable discrepancy among caregivers and pharmacists regarding the appropriate dosage of acetaminophen for overweight and obese children, according to a recent study published online August 20 in the European Journal of Hospitality.

Early administration of intravenous aspirin, in addition to alteplase, does not improve functional outcome at 3 months for patients with acute ischemic stroke, but increases the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, according to a study published online August 25 in The Lancet.

Anticoagulant therapy, particularly the use of aspirin, may reduce the risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality in men treated with radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy for prostate cancer, according to a study published online August 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

New anticancer agents that offer improved efficacy compared with standard therapy also increase morbidity and treatment-related mortality, according to a meta-analysis published August 20 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Statins may have a protective effect against the development of colorectal cancer, according to results from a retrospective case-control study published in BMC Gastroenterology.

FDA approved enzalutamide (Xtandi, Astellas Pharma U.S. Inc. and Medivation) to treat men with late-stage (metastatic) castration-resistant prostate cancer that has spread or recurred, even with medical or surgical therapy to minimize testosterone.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently published recommendations for the 2012-2013 influenza season.

Higher starting doses of allopurinol to treat gout may increase the risk for allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome, according to a study published in the August 2012 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

California hospitals are doing a better job of controlling methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and central-line associated bloodstream infections, according to a new report.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation has announced the inaugural class of their Faculty Scholars Program.

Mallinckrodt, the largest U.S. supplier of opioid pain medications, plans to purchase Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals’ Roxicodone (oxycodone hydrochloride tablets USP) in 5-mg, 15-mg, and 30-mg dosage strengths.

Individuals taking statins are at higher risk of developing cataract at an earlier age than those not taking them, according to a study published in the August issue of Optometry and Vision Science.

Walgreens is expanding its electronic health record program to all of its stores by the summer of 2013.

Growth hormone-releasing hormone shows favorable effects on cognition in older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology.

Caffeine may offer promise to patients with Parkinson disease by easing movement symptoms, according to a small study published August 1 in Neurology.

Aminoglycoside-loaded bone cement implants, frequently used in orthopedic surgery, may result in systemic effects that raise aminoglycoside serum concentrations and lead to acute kidney injury, according to a study published July 3 in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Vitamin D deficiency in critically ill children may make them more vulnerable to severe illnesses, according to two new studies published ahead of the print September issue of Pediatrics.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd has launched authorized generics of products indicated for use with diet and exercise to improve blood glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Certain Rite Aid pharmacies are taking part in a pilot project designed to make patient medication information easier for consumers to understand.

What's different in your drug stores this month or coming very soon?

The FTC has filed an amicus curiae brief on the issue of “pay-for-delay†actions in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, as part of an antitrust lawsuit between Wyeth and Teva Pharmaceuticals.