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Pharmacists in Canada were recently given broader responsibilities including, in certain provinces, prescribing privileges, vaccination abilities, and the ability to order and interpret laboratory tests. This newly expanded role for Canadian pharmacists can benefit both patients and physicians, according to an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

In response to the federal crackdown on Rx fraud, CVS Caremark has told physicians it believes overprescribe controlled substances to take their business elsewhere.

One in 10 Americans admit taking someone else’s Rx, according to an ongoing Reuters/psos online survey. About a quarter of those people used the prescription drugs to get high, according to the survey.

FDA calls for Drug labels and Medication Guides for all fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs to be updated with better descriptions of the serious side effect of peripheral neuropathy in arms or legs.

New study shows that simultaneous treatment of alcohol dependence and PTSD is more effective than either treatment would be alone.

Despite last season’s flu outbreak, less than half the people surveyed (46%) by CVS/pharmacy said they were more likely to get a flu shot this year.

Alabama has targeted so-called “doctor shopping” and Rx diversion with three bills designed to stop such lawbreakers.

The majority of antibiotics prescribed for adults in ambulatory care settings are broad-spectrum agents, most commonly fluoroquinolones and macrolides. These are frequently prescribed for conditions where no antibiotic therapy is needed at all, such as for bronchitis and colds, which are caused by viruses, according to a study published online July 25, 2013, in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

As the Drug Enforcement Administration increases scrutiny of pharmacies dispensing controlled substances that are sometimes illegally diverted, new policies designed to curb Rx abuse are pitting pharmacists against physicians.

Voices-Letters to the Editor

New Rx, indications, generics, and OTC

A recent OIG study reveals that in 2009, Medicare Part D paid $5.4 million to massage therapists, dieticians, and other individuals who clearly lacked authority to prescribe drugs

It's cheaper to prevent chronic diseases than to treat them. Through promotion of health literacy, medication adherence, health screenings, and tertiary care, pharmacist can have a real impact on public health.

When it comes to employee drug utilization reviews, one pharmacist is beating PBMs at their own game. If businesses and healthcare systems followed her lead, more would change than just the DURs.

The Specialty Sterile Pharmaceutical Society launches, with its own product and safety standards standards and a plan to march on Washington.

BMJ study finds small but statistically significant changes in Qmci scores of dementia patients who initiate hypertension treatment with ACE inhibitors.

Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera, Biogen Idec) oral delayed-release capsules, formerly called BG-12, was approved by the FDA on March 27, 2013 for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). It is the third oral drug to be recently approved for the treatment of these types of MS.

In July of 2012, a provision in the newly ratified Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, paved the way for the FDA to further assist drug manufacturers in expediting the development and introduction of new drugs demonstrating early signs of advancement in the treatment of key conditions. Known as the “breakthrough therapy” designation, this new tool is seen by many as yet another positive sign that the FDA is committed to ensuring that innovative drug products are brought to market even more quickly for the millions of patients with serious medical conditions, desperately in need of new therapeutic options.

Is your pharmacy ready for the new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Omnibus Rules? New privacy rules took effect in March, 2013, and enforcement begins in September.

With her appointment as dean of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Julie A. Johnson, PharmD, became the 7th dean in the school’s 90-year history and the first woman dean.

As a faculty trainer for the American Pharmacists Association’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery certification program and a pharmacist who offers immunizations, I have trained hundreds and vaccinated thousands of individuals. Here are some tips and experiences that will hopefully be beneficial to pharmacists in any setting who want to immunize patients.

The primary ethical obligation of a pharmacist is to avoid harm by filling each prescription correctly. For this reason, pharmacies, pharmacy organizations, and boards of pharmacy have adopted and espoused the principles of continuous quality improvement.

The FDA has approved a new plasma-derived product for the urgent reversal of vitamin-K antagonist (VKA) anticoagulation in adults with acute major bleeding.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced $67 million in grants to 105 applicants who will train navigators to help Americans enrolling in plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace beginning this fall.

Hillary Rodham Clinton urged pharmacists to help exercise leadership when she spoke at the NACDS Total Store Expo in Las Vegas.

FDA this week approved integrase strand transfer inhibitor dolutegravir (Tivicay, ViiV Healthcare , GlaxoSmithKline) to treat HIV-1 infection.

Surescripts this week announced it has added 19 state health information exchanges and health information service providers to its network, which is the largest in the nation.

Nearly all prescription drug websites geared toward Americans are operating out of compliance with U.S. pharmacy laws, according to a study by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.