June 19th 2024
A survey of health system specialty pharmacy employees found that hybrid work significantly improved quality of life and workplace productivity.
FDA acknowledges ongoing drug shortage, warns pharmacists of fraud
September 1st 2011Drugs such as Taxol, Cytarabine, Daunorubicin, Doxil, and Leucovorin are in short supply, delaying patients with various forms of cancer from getting the treatments they need or forcing them to seek alternative, possibly less-effective treatments, FDA announced recently.
Some patients may quit long-term Rxs after hospital discharge
August 31st 2011Patients discharged from the hospital are at increased risk of not continuing their long-term medications for chronic diseases, and ICU admission appears to expand this risk, according a recent study published August 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Daily azithromycin plus treatment decreased COPD exacerbations, improved QOL
August 31st 2011When added to usual treatment, azithromycin taken daily for 1 year decreased the frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations and improved quality of life among patients, reported a study published August 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
FDA approves crizotinib with companion diagnostic for a type of late-stage lung cancer
August 30th 2011FDA has approved crizotinib (Xalkori, Pfizer), the first and only therapy specifically for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer that is ALK-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test.
FDA approves tapentadol ER for management of moderate-to-severe chronic pain
August 26th 2011FDA has approved tapentadol extended-release tablets (Nucynta ER, Janssen Pharmaceuticals), an oral analgesic taken twice daily, for the management of moderate-to-severe chronic pain in adults when a continuous, around-the-clock opioid analgesic is needed for an extended period of time.
FDA approves Botox to treat a form of urinary incontinence
August 25th 2011FDA has approved onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox, Allergan) for injection for the treatment of urinary incontinence resulting from detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition (e.g., spinal cord injury [SCI], multiple sclerosis [MS]) in adults who have an inadequate response to or are intolerant of an anticholinergic medication.
FDA Safety Alert: Abnormal heart rhythms associated with high doses of citalopram hydrobromide
August 25th 2011FDA has notified healthcare professionals and patients that the antidepressant citalopram hydrobromide (Celexa, Forest Laboratories) should no longer be used at doses greater than 40 mg per day because it can cause abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart.
FDA progress report: Medical responses to public health emergencies
August 24th 2011Last summer FDA announced an action plan for medical countermeasures, such as drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests, to be used in responding to a public health emergency. The part of that effort aimed at regulatory science for medical countermeasures has been getting off the ground in recent months, FDA said in an August 19 presentation, with 85 intramural research projects in different parts of the agency.
Children's antibacterial use associated with dose-dependent CA-MRSA risk
August 22nd 2011Antibacterial drug use in children is associated with a dose-dependent increased risk of acquiring community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (Ca-MRSA), according to the results of a population-based, case-control study reported online August 1 in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Once-daily rivaroxaban appears to be as effective as dose-adjusted warfarin
August 22nd 2011Once-daily oral rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Bayer), a direct factor Xa inhibitor, appears to be as effective as dose-adjusted warfarin in preventing stroke or major embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, according to a study published online August 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
FDA approves OTC antifungal Tolnaftate-D
August 19th 2011Apricus Biosciences and its wholly owned subsidiary, NexMed USA, have received FDA approval for over-the-counter sales of antifungal drug Tolnaftate-D, containing the company's NexACT technology, which transiently loosens the tight junction between the cells of the sealed skin to allow more permeation.
Joint Commission's 2010 report targets medication preparation, storage, and security
August 18th 2011Medication storage was one of the biggest problems that The Joint Commission found in hospitals in 2010, according to its new survey. During a webinar this week, sponsored by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Darryl Rich, PharmD, surveyor in the Joint Commission's Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations, also described some new requirements in the Commission?s National Patient Safety Goals for 2011.
FDA approves 2 new strengths of leuprolide acetate to treat children with CPP
August 17th 2011FDA has approved 2 new strengths (11.25 mg and 30 mg) for 3-month administration of leuprolide acetate for depot suspension (Lupron Depot-PED, Abbott) for the treatment of children with central precocious puberty.
FDA approves vemurafenib and companion diagnostic test for late-stage skin cancer
August 17th 2011FDA has approved vemurafenib (Zelboraf, Daiichi Sankyo and Genentech), the second melanoma drug this year to improve overall survival. Zelboraf is indicated for the treatment of patients with late-stage (metastatic) or unresectable melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.
FDA assigns PDUFA action date for peginesatide NDA
August 16th 2011FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of March 27, 2012, for the review of the New Drug Application for the investigational agent peginesatide (formerly known as Hematide). If approved, peginesatide will be the first once-monthly erythropoiesis stimulating agent available for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease in patients on dialysis in the United States.
NCPA calls for PBM transparency in health insurance exchanges
August 15th 2011Pharmacy benefit managers should be required to be more transparent in health insurance exchanges, the National Community Pharmacists Association asserted in comments recently submitted to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).