This new product helps dispose of drug waste
February 19th 2007The basic principle of health-care treatment-"First, do no harm"-should apply also to the proper disposal of hazardous pharmaceutical waste. A new product, EcoRex, from Vestara in Irvine, Calif., is designed to achieve that end, using customized software to reduce the potential harm of such waste.
New product newswire: February 19, 2007
February 19th 2007A new treatment is available for patients 12 years of age and older with psoriasis and eczema. Olux-E (clobetasol propionate) Foam, 0.05%, available in 50-and 100-gm canisters, is indicated for inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses.
Should condoms be kept under lock and key?
February 19th 2007Picture this. A man walks into a pharmacy to buy condoms. He hopes he can quickly whisk them from the shelf and pay for them without attracting attention. But ... they are locked up in a case along with the razor blade cartridge replacements. A note on the cabinet states, "Please ask attendant for assistance for items in this case."
Clinical Q & A: What are the right OTCs to treat cough associated with the common cold?
February 5th 2007It is that time of the year when consumers flock to their local drugstores seeking the "long-trusted" remedies for the common cold and its associated symptoms-particularly cough. In response, pharmacists will be called upon to make therapy recommendations that suit the needs of each individual patient.
New law requires OTC adverse event reporting
February 5th 2007Congress just passed and President Bush signed the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act (S. 3546), also known as the Adverse Event Reports (AER) bill. The legislation will amend the federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers to report "serious" adverse events for OTC drugs and dietary supplements to the Food & Drug Administration. The law becomes effective one year after its passage on Dec. 26.
New product newswire: January 22, 2007
January 22nd 2007Novartis Pharmaceuticals, East Hanover, N.J., (862) 778-8300, has received tentative approval for a new treatment option for patients with high blood pressure, although not for initial therapy. Exforge (valsartan and amlodipine besylate) will provide combination therapy in a single tablet made up of Novartis' Diovan and Pfizer's Norvasc.
New product newswire: January 8, 2007
January 8th 2007Verdeso (desonide) Foam, 0.05%, has been FDA-approved for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (eczema) in adults and children as young as three months of age. The low-potency topical steroid is the product of Connetics Corp., Palo Alto, Calif., (650) 843-2800.
Guidelines updated for treatment of Alzheimer's
December 11th 2006An expert panel convened by the Alzheimer?s Drug Discovery Foundation recently released consensus recommendations on the treatment of Alzheimer?s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in managed care. The guidelines were published as a supplement to the American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy.
Guidelines updated for treatment of Alzheimer's
December 11th 2006An expert panel convened by the Alzheimer?s Drug Discovery Foundation recently released consensus recommendations on the treatment of Alzheimer?s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in managed care. The guidelines were published as a supplement to the American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy.
New product newswire: November 20, 2006
November 20th 2006In time for the upcoming 2006-07 flu season, a new influenza immunization is available from GlaxoSmithKline. FluLaval (Influenza Virus Vaccine) has been approved for the active immunization of adults 18 years of age and older against influenza types A and B. FluLaval, already marketed in Canada under the name Fluviral, will be available in 10-dose multi-dose vials.
New product newswire: November 6, 2006
November 6th 2006Cephalon Inc., Frazer, Pa., (610) 344-0200, has approval from the FDA to market Fentora (fentanyl buccal tablet) C-II. The opioid agonist, available in strengths of 100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 mcg, is indicated for the management of breakthrough pain in cancer patients who are already receiving and who are tolerant to opioid therapy for underlying, persistent cancer pain. Cephalon's OraVescent drug delivery system allows much of the medication to be absorbed directly across the lining of the upper cheek and into the bloodstream.
DEA issues rule on pseudoephedrine products
November 6th 2006As the pharmacy community complies with the Drug Enforcement Administration's interim final rule on retail sales of pseudoephedrine-related products, pharmacy and retail associations are preparing to send their comments to the agency outlining their members' concerns.
NCPA: Independents are down, but don't count them out
November 6th 2006Squeezed by low and slow reimbursement from Medicare Part D, independent pharmacists have certainly taken their lumps this past year. But they still managed to eke out some victories, according to leaders of the National Community Pharmacists Association, which held its annual meeting in Las Vegas last month.
New product newswire: October 23, 2006
October 23rd 2006Glumetza (metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablet) is now available from King Pharmaceuticals, Bristol, Tenn., (423) 989-2000, and Depomed Inc., Menlo Park, Calif., (650) 462-5900. It offers once-daily oral dosing for adults with Type 2 diabetes. The tablets, manufactured by King, utilize Depomed's AcuForm drug delivery technology to provide controlled and prolonged release of metformin. The drug is indicated for use alone or in combination with sulfonylurea or insulin as an adjunct to diet and exercise for improved glycemic control.
New product newswire: October 10, 2006
October 9th 2006According to the company, this is the first FDA-approved orally disintegrating tablet form of prednisolone. The drug is used primarily for acute exacerbations of asthma in children and is also indicated for the control of severe, persistent asthma and to reduce the inflammation associated with various medical conditions, including arthritis and cancer. The drug will be marketed by Atlanta-based Alliant Pharmaceuticals.
New product newswire: September 18, 2006
September 18th 2006The Sanovi-Aventis Group, with U.S. headquarters in Bridgewater, N.J., (908) 243-6000, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, N.J., (609) 252-4000, now have FDA approval for a new indication for Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate). The antiplatelet agent can now be used with aspirin in patients with the most severe type of heart attack-acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who are not going to have coronary artery repair, or angioplasty. It was previously approved for helping reduce the risk of death, recurrent heart attacks, or strokes in patients with unstable angina or less severe heart attacks.
Mail-order battle heats up over generics
September 18th 2006After 11 years in business on Main Street in Aspen, Colo., Rodney Diffendaffer, R.Ph., knows too well that the struggle between community pharmacists and the mail-order industry is heating up, with generics fueling the fire. "They get to sell three months of drugs at what comes close to my one-month price," he said. "I'm not allowed to sell a three-month supply. It's not a level playing field. Never has been."
This device offers peace of mind to patients at home
September 4th 2006Picture this: A patient with a chronic disease answers questions about his condition via a countertop appliance at home. The answers are sent to a center staffed by nurses and other health professionals who monitor the patient's symptoms, vital signs, and medication use. If a problem is brewing, the professional informs the patient, his or her family caregiver, doctor, and/or pharmacist.