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FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD, defended the agency’s approval of the powerful opioid Zohydro ER (hydrocodone bitartrate) extended-release capsules, explaining that its highest dose is no more potent than the highest strengths of the opioid OxyContin ER (oxycodone) extended-release and extended-release morphine, in an FDA blog posted April 29.

FDA approved ramucirumab (Cyramza, Eli Lilly) to treat patients with advanced stomach cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

Pharmacist-led care with prescribing authority substantially improved risk factors at 6 months among stroke survivors versus nurse case managers who monitored patients and provided feedback to their primary care physicians, according to a report published in the Canadian Medical Association’s journal, CMAJ.

The owner of a historic Des Moines, Iowa pharmacy faces up to 250 years in prison following his recent indictment on 16 federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute drugs, tax evasion, and wire fraud.

Since the late 1990s, USA300, a strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), has spread across the United States, contributing to an epidemic of community-associated [CA] MRSA. The strains can persist in residential homes after infections, and appear to be linked to high usage of fluoroquinolones, according to a study published in the Proceedings for the National Academy of Sciences.

From controlled substances to retail chains in trouble and back to controlled substances, Drug Topics readers found plenty to talk about during the month of April.

There are associations and boards representing pharmacists in all sorts of settings. Now, there is a national association to support pharmacists who dispense marijuana products to treat specialty diseases.

An 18-month statewide program to decrease painkiller prescriptions and lower addiction risks resulted in 6.6 million fewer doses dispensed, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts recently announced.

Despite strong FDA warnings against its use in adolescents, a new study suggests that codeine is prescribed for children during at least 500,000 emergency room (ER) visits each year.

Pharmacists who contacted high-risk patients within 72 hours of discharge from Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, found more than half of the patients had medication-related issues. In a different group of high-risk patients who had received inpatient interventions, 35% of patients were found to have issues after a pharmacist reviewed their medications just prior to discharge, according to Laura Carr, PharmD.

CVS Pharmacy is once again in hot water regarding its handling and dispensing of controlled substances-this time being sued by an insurer and 18 states that claim the pharmacy chain collected hundreds of millions for invalid prescriptions that were diverted to the black market.

The number of pharmacist jobs in South Carolina increased over the past four years, and the number of pharmacists nearing retirement is likely to create jobs for new graduates, according to a new report.

A federal judge has blocked Massachusetts’ attempt to ban the controversial new painkiller Zohydro ER, which law enforcement officials, politicians, and some healthcare officials fear will dramatically increase opioid overdose deaths.

In a surprising shift, total U.S. spending on medicines increased 3.2% on a nominal basis in 2013 after several years of declining spending, according to a new report.

For one day only, Google will make its Goggle Glass computer available for sales to any adult in the United States. Up until now, the technology has not been available to the general public.

The fight over whether pharmacists serve "patients" or "customers" continues. And now there's a new question: How come a major national pharmacy organization has no opinion?

How does it feel to have your brainchild critiqued by an audience of your peers? Dennis Miller gives us an idea.