The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), responsible for setting quotas of controlled substances, has not responded to manufacturers’ applications for these quotas in a timely fashion-and this has contributed to the shortage of controlled substances over the last decade, according to a recent GAO report.
Although the biosimilar Zarxio (filgrastim-sndz,) was approved in March, the manufacturer, Sandoz/Novartis, has been delayed from selling the drug until a patent dispute with Amgen is resolved.
Naloxone is a lifesaving antidote for reversing opioid overdose symptoms and the pharmacist’s role has quickly expanded in managing this population.
The new-gen treatments for Hep C can make the illness go away, but their extreme price tags make insurance co-pays unaffordable, and many patients just stay sick.
At the end of April, FDA approved a new biologic to help prevent and control bleeding in patients with hemophilia B who are 12 years and older. It also is approved for use in perioperative management in this patient population.
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) recently issued a report listing illegal online drug sellers and detailing the threat they pose to the public.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals has completed its acquisition of Actavis’ Australian-based generic pharmaceuticals business. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
FDA has approved the first needle-free, patient-controlled fentanyl delivery system for the management of postoperative pain in adults requiring opioid pain relief in the hospital.
At least one Oregon state legislator believes allowing pharmacists to prescribe oral contraceptives would increase access to birth control and reduce unwanted pregnancies.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists offers two new guidance documents as well as online training to help with meeting the new ASHP Accreditation Standard for Postgraduate Year One Pharmacy Residency Programs.
An investigational vaccine for herpes zoster provided significant benefit to patients 50 and older, with little difference in efficacy among those in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, according to a phase 3 international trial [Zoster Efficacy Study in Adults 50 Years of Age or Older (ZOE-50)].
Cornell Prescription Pharmacy has agreed to pay the federal government $125,000 to settle charges it improperly disposed of the patient information of more than 1,600 people in an unlocked, open container in 2012.
The FDA issued three final guidance documents on biosimilars for pharmaceutical manufacturers and others in late April.
Pharmacists recently joined consumers and Texas businesses in urging state legislators to approve legislation that would authorize pharmacists to administer government-recommended vaccines to children 7 years and older.
When addiction treatment was added to the buprenorphine Rx the result was greatly improved outcomes.
About 6,000 healthcare workers, including pharmacists, will be enrolled in a new clinical trial in Sierra Leone to test the safety and efficacy of the rVSV-ZEBOV candidate Ebola vaccine, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced.
What if P&T committees choose drugs on the basis of bias-prone info? What part is played when corporate funding supports academic research? And what can pharmacists do about it?
Eleven of the most promising biosimilars will create an estimated $250 billion in savings for U.S. payers, according to pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts.
No CVS employees or customers were injured during the looting and fires at several of the company’s Baltimore locations hours after the funeral of a 25-year-old man who died in police custody.
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe a microneedle patch they are jointly developing can reduce the spread of preventable diseases by making vaccinations easier to administer.
Four generic manufacturers (Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Labs, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and Torrent Pharmaceuticals) received the go-ahead April 28 to market their generic versions for Abilify for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
As part of a pilot program, some dentists and dental hygienists in Canada will be providing free oral-cancer screenings at various London Drugs locations starting this month.
Beginning in July, California hospitals are required to have an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in place to evaluate the judicious use of antibiotics.
FDA approved Sandoz’s generic version of Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) known as Glatopa, making it the first generic version of the drug available for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is applauding the U.S. House of Representatives’ recent passage of a bill designed to curb prescription drug abuse while protecting patient access to controlled substances.
Children’s hospitals with formal antibiotic stewardship programs helped reduce antibiotic use significantly following the 2007 release of guidelines for developing these programs, according to a report published in Pediatrics.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has announced the slate of candidates running for president, board of directors, and to chair its House of Delegates.
The Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) recently announced it would investigate price increases for generic drugs in the Medicaid drug rebate program.
The pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is lauding the FDA’s approval of the first biosimilar product this year, noting that the drugs could save the U.S. healthcare system billions of dollars.
Last year, more women than men were practicing pharmacy or working in pharmacy-related careers. And there were more women managers than ever before.