Christine Blank

Easy-to-swallow bits of news and studies for the busy pharmacist.

Pharmacy groups are praising new Medicare Part D opioid limits.

Easy-to-swallow bits of information from around the world of pharmacy.

CMS is considering big changes to DIR fees and pharmacists are excited.

The agency’s ruling also added an additional Boxed Warning.

A protein called STUB1 may help prevent blood clots in patients with chronic kidney disease without causing bleeding complications.

Direct oral anticoagulants have expanded treatment options for patients with venous thromboembolisms, but they are not for everyone.

A Midwest pharmacy chain is creating an adherence program to help its patients with diabetes.

How a diabetes clinic that includes a collaboration between an endocrinologist and a pharmacist can produce thousands of dollars in health-care savings.

Here's how this pharmacy chain is helping patients with diabetes better manage their disease.

Here's a quick overview of new drugs, a novel device that can replace fingersticks, and an “artificial pancreas” meant to make life easier for patients with diabetes.

Comorbid CVD is an independent risk factor for CAP in patients with COPD. And inhaled steroids may increase CAP risk.

Use inhaled corticosteroids sparingly and only in these circumstances in patients with COPD. Details here.

A clinical study, recently begun in South Africa, is testing whether an experimental vaccine regimen safely prevents HIV infection.

The Army has made significant progress on the Zika vaccine in just 10 months. Details here.

When pharmacists get involved in patient care, significant improvements are often seen. Diabetes management is one of the most notable examples.

Researchers found that estimated coverage for RV at 19 to 35 months of age lags behind the other vaccines recommended at ages two, four, and six.

The U.S. rate for adult flu vaccinations has not increased significantly because of retail pharmacy access.

Already, HHS has awarded around $433 million for Zika response and preparedness activities. In addition, the new Senate and House budget, passed in late September, contained $1.1 billion in Zika funding.

The number of pharmacists providing vaccinations – both in the U.S. and around the world – is growing significantly.

Improper dosing of chemotherapy in IV bags recently caused a problem among a group of patients in Canada, so the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is cautioning healthcare practitioners about chemotherapy dosing.

The U.S. healthcare system, broken even before the Affordable Care Act, needs a team-based care approach that’s more focused on patients, as well as an increased political effort to advance healthcare, according to researchers speaking at a JAMA media briefing at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on November 12.

Use of both AACE and ADA/EASD guidelines can benefit physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare practitioners.

Walmart has launched its own ReliOn brand diabetes products.

Despite growing consumer education, children and teenagers are increasingly abusing prescription drugs. Two manufacturers have recently launched products designed to keep Rx drugs secure in the home.

Mandatory mail-order programs are hampering medication adherence, said Marie Smith, PharmD, during a recent roundtable on medication adherence.

That the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act bodes well for the generic drug market, which is already growing by leaps and bounds annually. Industry consultants expect ACA implementation to notably benefit retail pharmacists, PBMs, and drug wholesalers.

As the drug-shortage crisis continues, pharmacists look for ways to stem the tide. In health systems, the most powerful solution results from collaboration across departments.