Health System

FDA announced that it will release risk summaries about medicines approved after September 2007 and post them quarterly to a publicly accessible website, Reuters reported.

FDA has informed four consumer genomics services providers and Illumina that it believes the firms are selling unapproved diagnostic devices, according to a report published by the GenomeWeb Daily News.

CVS Caremark and Generation Health announced 13 drug therapies that will be included in the initial offering of their integrated Genetic Benefit Management service.

FDA has cleared Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009), a test for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in patients with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection.

In 2009, the drug trend for children, a measure of prescription-spending growth, increased 10.8%, driven by a 5% increase in drug utilization and higher medication costs, according to the Medco "2010 Drug Trend Report."

Which drugs were most popular in 2009? Check out Drug Topics' list of the Top 200 generic drugs in 2009, ranked by total prescriptions.

Which drugs were most popular in 2009? Check out Drug Topics' lists of the Top 200 generic drugs in 2009, ranked by retail dollars.

Which drugs were most popular in 2009? Check out Drug Topics' list of the Top 200 branded drugs in 2009, ranked by total prescriptions.

Which drugs were most popular in 2009? Check out Drug Topics' list of the Top 200 branded drugs in 2009, ranked by retail dollars.

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

As part of Earth Week 2010, California pharmacies and the Marin Sanitary District collaborated to reduce household amounts of mercury, a toxic substance associated with damage to the nervous system, kidneys, liver, lungs, and immune system.

Oregon's law requiring prescriptions for pseudoephedrine products practically eliminated its illicit methamphetamine problem. But some pharmacists, consumer groups, and the drug industry say that it will increase healthcare costs and inconvenience consumers. They think electronic sales-tracking systems would be a better approach.

The CEO of APhA responds to the recent AMA policy statement on the place of pharmacists in healthcare.

The promise of personalized medicine is approaching realization. As more medications are developed, pharmacists will be on the front line of individualized prescribing based upon genome-based diagnostic tests.

Our feet contain one-fourth of all the bones in our bodies, 33 joints, and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments, to say nothing of blood vessels and nerves. Small wonder that foot ailments afflict millions of Americans. Fortunately, manufacturers offer an arsenal of relief.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores recognized Charles Vance Burnett, JD, BS Pharm, and Stanley F. Barshay with its highest honors at the 2010 annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

Adding fenofibrate to statin therapy fails to reduce cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to results of the first trial to evaluate combination therapy presented at the 59th annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology.

The healthcare reform legislation signed into law March 23 is expected to give healthcare access to 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured. The legislation gives pharmacists a role in helping alleviate the influx of new patients.

Named for Ohio pharmacy pioneer John Uri Lloyd, the Lloyd Medicinal Garden at the governor's residence in Columbus pays tribute to the history of the profession.

The continuing debate over healthcare reform keeps the subject of medication adherence in the public eye. For pharmacy, says NACDS, the issue is a top priority.

Pharmacies can enhance their continuous quality improvement program results by working on three critical elements: implementation, training, and monitoring.

More than 850 U.S. community pharmacies are participating in the "Dispose My Meds" campaign sponsored by the National Community Pharmacists Association and Sharps Compliance.

Despite the wear and tear on most pharmacists at the bench, when new pharmacies are built, ergonomics are rarely considered.

Pharmacists speak out about personal finance, compounding, and the importance of mentors.

A growing public health concern is the presence of potentially harmful pharmaceuticals in drinking water, due to improper disposal of waste prescription drugs. At least 20 states now have collection programs for unused medications. The greater use of such programs requires the reeducation of the community to raise awareness of the dangers and of the solutions to the problem of waste pharmaceuticals. The more convenient the options for disposal of most medications, the more likely they will be disposed of properly.

On May 11th the news that Walgreens, partnering with Pathway Genomics, was going to offer customers a genetic testing kit made headlines almost as fast as a world peace announcement. Then Pathway received a letter of inquiry from the FDA, and Walgreens decided to halt the initiative until more clarity was reached. However, when genetic testing kits do become available at retail outlets, there will be a need for plenty of patient education, which pharmacists can best provide.

Both the FTC?s consumer protection and competition bureaus are spearheading an investigation into CVS Caremark?s alleged monopolistic practices. HHS is investigating possible false Medicare claims. DEA is investigating charges of improper sale of pseudoephedrine in 2007 and 2008. And the SEC has received complaints of insider trading.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) recognized Charles Vance Burnett, JD, BS Pharm, and Stanley F. Barshay, with its highest honors at the 2010 annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

Pharmacology pioneer Leslie Z. Benet, PhD, who established the foundation for much of what is now known about the rate at which drugs are metabolized in the body, was honored with the premier prize from the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) elected a new chairman of the Board of Directors at its 2010 annual meeting in April in Palm Beach, Fla. In addition, the NACDS Foundation awarded nearly $300,000 in scholarships to pharmacy schools during the meeting.