CMS reports Pioneer ACO cost savings, improved care
July 16th 2013Medicare costs for more than 669,000 beneficiaries within the Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations last year grew at a slower pace, 0.3%, compared to the 0.8% growth rate in spending for those beneficiaries not part of this new model.
Management of antipsychotic medication polypharmacy
July 15th 2013Within our healthcare-driven society, the increase in the identification and diagnosis of mental illnesses has led to a proportional increase in the prescribing of psychotropic medications. The prevalence of mental illnesses and subsequent treatment approaches that employ monotherapy as first-line treatment, but in many cases the use of combination of therapy can occur, leading to polypharmacy.1
Prevention of heart attacks by targeting CVD patients
July 15th 2013Face-to-face interaction between pharmacists and patients will be key to the success or failure of the federal government’s Million Hearts initiative to prevent heart attacks and strokes, Salvatore Giorgianni, PharmD, told participants during the June 3 State of Men’s Heart Webinar.
FDA advisers recommend easing Avandia restrictions
July 15th 2013FDA advisers recommended in early June the easing of restrictions on the diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline), following an independent re-examination of GSK’s RECORD study conducted by Duke Clinical Research Institute.
Walgreens agrees to pay $80 million in DEA settlement
July 15th 2013Walgreens, the largest pharmacy chain in the United States, has agreed to pay $80 million in civil penalties for record-keeping and dispensing violations under the Controlled Substances Act, according to statements released June 11 by the company and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Long-term data reinforce safety profile of dabigatran etexilate mesylate
July 15th 2013Results from the RELY-ABLE trial, the RE-LY extension study, support the long-term safety profile of dabigatran etexilate mesylate (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals) 150 mg twice daily in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), according to a study published in Circulation.
Long-term data reinforce safety profile of dabigatran
July 15th 2013Results from the RELY-ABLE trial, the RE-LY extension study, support the long-term safety profile of dabigatran etexilate mesylate (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals) 150 mg twice daily in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), according to a study published in Circulation in mid-June.
Report: CVD risk factors that pharmacists can address
July 15th 2013The Community Preventive Services Task Force, an independent, uncompensated panel of public health and prevention experts, has released 3 recommendations to address risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Pharmacists were included as members of the team to help with interventions for CVD prevention.
FDA seeks comments on drug importation regulations by August 12
July 15th 2013FDA is asking the public for advice on how to carry out Title VII. Among numerous other questions it is requesting comments on what information should be required at the time of entry to demonstrate a drug’s compliance, including information on homeopathic drugs for human use, articles for human or animal drug compounding, and drugs intended for research.
Industry giants partner to combat illegal, online pharmacies
July 12th 2013A nonprofit dedicated to ensuring online pharmacy safety, whose roots date back to an informal advocacy group started 4 years ago, was this week officially chartered in Washington, D.C. The board of the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies includes industry leaders from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Eli Lilly, LegitScript, and FWD Strategies International.