October 24th 2024
Nina Vadiei, PharmD, BCPP, a clinical associate professor at UT Austin and a clinical pharmacy specialist in psychiatry at San Antonio State Hospital, discusses her career as a psychiatric pharmacist.
HHS partnership seeks better healthcare, lower costs
May 3rd 2011The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and other organizations are partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on a program that seeks to improve patient health and lower healthcare costs.
FDA approves Zytiga for late-stage prostate cancer
April 29th 2011FDA has approved abiraterone acetate (Zytiga, Centocor Ortho Biotech), an oral, once-daily medication for use in combination with prednisone for the treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have received prior chemotherapy containing docetaxel.
Decrease in breast cancer risk persists in estrogen trial follow-up
April 28th 2011Postmenopausal women who were evaluated after taking conjugated equine estrogen had neither an increased nor decreased risk of coronary heart disease, and a decrease in breast cancer risk persisted, according to a post-intervention follow-up of the Women?s Health Initiative Estrogen-Alone Trial, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Breaking News: FDA approves rituximab to treat rare disorders
April 20th 2011FDA has approved rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech) in combination with glucocorticosteroids for the treatment of 2 forms of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, Wegener's granulomatosis and microscopic polyangiitis.
Vaginal progesterone gel reduces rate of preterm birth
April 19th 2011Vaginal progesterone administered from the mid-trimester of pregnancy until term in women with a premature cervical shortening, as confirmed by transvaginal ultrasound, significantly reduced the rate of preterm birth before 33 weeks gestation, according to a phase 3 study published online in Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
AHA presents guidelines for managing manifestations of VTE
April 19th 2011There are several therapies in addition to blood thinners that physicians should consider when managing patients with deep vein thrombosis, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association. The statement is published online in Circulation.
Antibiotic stewardship: Perspective on clinical decision-making
April 15th 2011Excessive use of antibiotics has led to the development of drug-resistant pathogens. A sharp decline in development of new antibiotics has limited antimicrobial treatment options. Consequently, as infections become more difficult to treat, patient outcomes may worsen and healthcare costs may rise.
ASCP lobbies to expand MTM role for LTC pharmacists
April 15th 2011CMS is considering new regulations that would require Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to contract directly with long-term-care facilities rather than with consultant pharmacists. This doesn't sit well with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.
Pharmacists petition against mandatory mail order
April 15th 2011Many third-party payers have either switched to or are considering moving to a mail-order requirement for long-term prescriptions that would prevent patients from choosing to purchase medications through retail pharmacies. Pharmacists and patients are pushing back.
PPACA moves medication adherence to center stage
April 15th 2011The role of pharmacists in medication adherence has taken center stage nationally since last year's passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, when medication adherence and medication therapy management were recognized as areas that should receive funding.