Health System

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

Proper oral care = health and happiness. That's the equation being promoted from governmental agencies to health groups to scientists.

A group of students conducted a survey to determine if the opening of new pharmacy schools in California would lead to an oversupply of pharmacists in that state. Read on to see what they found.

An herbal pill sold as a "natural intimacy enhancement" for females has been recalled because of the undeclared presence of tadalafil (Cialis, Eli Lilly), a drug used as a treatment for male erectile dysfunction, FDA announced.

FDA has approved tafluprost ophthalmic solution (Zioptan, Merck) 0.0015%, the first preservative-free prostaglandin analog ophthalmic solution for reducing elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Drug shortages have resulted in higher acquisition costs for pharmacies and the inability to fill prescriptions, according to a new survey, and the National Community Pharmacists Association conveyed that message to Congress.

Two U.S. congressional representatives recently urged other members of the House of Representatives to support the Medication Therapy Management Benefits Act of 2011.

FDA has issued 3 draft guidances for the development of biosimilar versions of approved biologic products, which will help flesh out the abbreviated approval pathway created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law in 2010.

Matthew Murawski, PharmD, has a new tool to help catch potential medication interactions before they happen: an iPad.

Target will allow individual pharmacy owners in Canada to own pharmacies within the company’s stores, departing from its policy in the United States, the company said

CVS/pharmacy is planning 1,000 health-screening events across the country this year, as part of its new multicultural Project Health program.

More patients pick up their first prescription when it’s sent to the pharmacy electronically than when it’s given to the patient on paper, according to the results of a study conducted by an e-prescribing network.

An FDA advisory panel recommended against using denosumab (Xgeva, Amgen) to delay or prevent the spread of castration-resistant prostate cancer at risk for bone metastases. The FDA?s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee concluded that the drug offered a statistical benefit but not a clinical benefit.

Commercial electronic prescribing systems can significantly reduce medication errors in the hospital setting, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine in January

The American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists published a new guide cardiovascular care meant to help pharmacists and other healthcare providers save lives in emergency settings

FDA has granted priority review to crofelemer 125-mg tablets (Salix Pharmaceuticals) for the control and symptomatic relief of diarrhea in patients with HIV/AIDS on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) expressed its concerns about proposed mandatory prescription track-and-trace programs in comments to a Congressional advisory panel recently.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation has awarded 58 scholarships – totaling $190,000 – to pharmacy schools representing 42 colleges and schools of pharmacy, the foundation announced.

U.S. drug expenditures remained relatively flat in 2011, but a new report projects that drug costs will rise between 3% and 5% across all healthcare settings this year. .

The U.S. healthcare system saves $6 to $7 for every dollar Americans spend on over-the-counter medications, according to a new study released by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association recently.

Walgreens is acquiring “certain assets” of BioScrip’s community specialty pharmacies, centralized specialty, and mail service pharmacy businesses for approximately $225 million

Cardinal Health has requested a temporary restraining order to block a Drug Enforcement Administration suspension halting controlled-substance shipments from its Lakeland, Fla., distribution center. DEA suspended Cardinal’s distribution license for the Lakeland facility last Friday.

FDA approved sitagliptin and metformin hydrochloride (HCl) extended-release (Janumet XR, Merck) tablets, a new treatment for type 2 diabetes that combines sitagliptin, which is the active component of Januvia (sitagliptin), with extended-release metformin.

Hospitals and healthcare facilities should require all employees to get an annual flu shot, a group representing many of the nation?s largest employers emphasized again at a press conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

There was an increased risk of acute infection among long-term care residents who visited hospital emergency departments, according to a study published online January 23 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Dutasteride (Avodart, GlaxoSmithKline) delays the progression of prostate cancer in men with low-risk prostate cancer, according to a new study.

FDA declined approval of the diabetes drug dapagliflozin (Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca), based on the recommendations of 1 of its advisory committees.

FDA has approved linagliptin/metformin hydrochloride (Jentadueto, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly) tablets, a new tablet that provides a single-tablet treatment option, taken twice-daily, for adult patients who need to control their blood sugar.

FDA approved ivacaftor (Kalydeco, Vertex Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of a rare form of cystic fibrosis in patients aged 6 years and older who have the specific G551D mutation in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator gene.

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy is not pleased with changes to the Medicare Part D reporting requirements proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.