The pharmacist and MTM services
October 15th 2011^MTM services are additional to provision of a drug product and include a broad range of pharmacists' activities within the scope of pharmacy practice. ^An example of MTM includes creating a medication treatment plan. ^Another example is monitoring and evaluating a patient's response to therapy.
FDA enters consent decree of permanent injunction against Florida drug companies
October 11th 2011FDA recently announced that the District Court for the Middle District of Florida entered a consent decree that prohibits Hill Dermaceuticals Inc., Hill Labs Inc., and certain individuals from introducing adulterated drugs into interstate commerce.
New HIPAA standards coming for electronic claims and transmissions
August 15th 2011As healthcare moves swiftly toward a more comprehensive electronic platform, pharmacies will be required to upgrade their claim submission standard from NCPDP 5.1 to NCPDP D.0, an updated version of the HIPAA standard for pharmacy claims transactions.
Congress urged to curb rogue online pharmacies
August 14th 2011Advocates are hoping for a new push in Congress to control rogue online pharmacies, according to Bryan A. Liang, professor at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and vice president of the Partnership for Safe Medicine.
"Brazilian diet pills" passed off as supplements; smuggler sentenced
August 1st 2011As a result of combined investigations by FDA, the IRS Criminal Division, and the U.S. Department of Justice, Elisane Garcia was sentenced on July 25 for disguising controlled substances as "Brazilian diet pills" and smuggling them into the United States with intent to distribute. She was also convicted of 1 count of money-laundering.
Two Congressional bills support right of community pharmacists to negotiate with PBMs
July 15th 2011The National Community Pharmacists Association expects U.S. legislators to get behind 2 new bills that would allow independent pharmacists to negotiate insurance contracts with pharmacy benefit managers.
Pharmacy data-mining: Physicians, independent pharmacists sound off
July 15th 2011As expected, the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down a landmark case that would have prohibited data-mining companies from selling physicians' prescribing information to pharmaceutical manufacturers for use in marketing. Still some independent pharmacists say they are not in favor of the practice.
Patient harm and pharmacist liability
June 15th 2011Whereas historic pharmacy practice linked the pharmacist to a product, as pharmacists move toward more complete healthcare services, they are now also providers of cognitive services. As pharmacists delve further into cognitive services and take on greater patient responsibility, the process is likely to add to liability exposure.
FDA holds corporate execs responsible for pharma abuses
May 15th 2011Frustrated by its lack of success at reining in drug-company abuses, FDA is bringing back a legal doctrine spawned by long-dead rodents to bring criminal charges against pharmaceutical executives, including executives who had no personal knowledge of company misdeeds.
Pharmacists' rights get boost from UPS labor decision
May 15th 2011A recent state appellate court decision in California could help pharmacists claim meal and rest breaks they are due under state labor law. The case, which involved United Parcel Service workers, affirmed workers' right to up to 2 hours of extra pay daily.
Evolving pharm tech roles call for expanded training, certification
May 15th 2011With the expansion of pharmacist roles come the burdens of managing the existing obligations embedded in professional pharmacy practice. Technicians, when appropriately trained and certified, can help fulfill many delegated functions in the pharmacy.
Dispensing controlled substances
April 15th 2011DEA's "Office of Diversion Control" prevents, detects, and investigates the diversion of controlled substances from legitimate sources while ensuring an adequate and uninterrupted supply for legitimate medical needs. To accomplish this mission, the DEA sets forth regulations designed to prevent any such diversion.
FDA eyes generic user fees as funding option
April 5th 2011Both the Food and Drug Administration and officials from a number of generic drug companies indicate they are in active talks on creating user fees to be paid by that industry to give the agency more resources to speed generics to the market, carry out inspections and other functions.
Rx medications: The importance of container integrity
March 15th 2011Very few state laws require a pharmacy to use a drug container that meets minimum quality-control standards. Legal metrics are needed to guard against possible patient harm resulting from an adulterated drug product caused by a "bad" container.